A 19-year-old Hyde Park man is facing armed-robbery and gun charges after police say a group of victims was held up in Roslindale — and the handgun allegedly used in the holdup had several stickers slapped across it.
Boston police responded around 6:13 p.m. Monday to Beechland Circle after three people reported they had been robbed at gunpoint. According to MassLive, the victims said they were approached by a group of six to seven men who took cash and a cellphone before fleeing.
One member of the group reportedly carried a silver gun with several stickers attached. The unusual detail gave officers a distinctive description to work with as they searched the neighborhood.
Officers near Blue Ledge Drive later saw a man matching the suspect description and took him into custody, police said. Investigators allegedly found a silver-and-black Smith & Wesson handgun in the man's waistband.
Alvarado Faces Four Charges
Police identified the suspect as Xavian Alvarado, 19, of Hyde Park. He was charged with armed robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a large-capacity firearm, and possession of ammunition without an FID card.
What Massachusetts Law Says
Under the armed-robbery statute, a person convicted of a qualifying robbery committed while armed with a firearm faces at least five years in state prison. The state's firearm-possession law generally requires a license to carry for possessing a firearm outside a residence or place of business, while additional firearms licensing rules are outlined in Chapter 140.
The charges are allegations, and Alvarado is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove them in court.
