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Mayor Sarno, Again, Calls for Passage of Bail and Dangerousness Legislation

Since March 17th, Springfield Police Officers have made 44 arrests (43 individuals) involving illegal firearms charges.    During this time, 42 illegal firearms have been recovered and of those 15 were large capacity and/or AR-15 style firearms. 

Of the 44 arrests involving firearms since March 17, 22 or 50% of the individuals have been released on bail or their own recognizance, including Xavier Sands who was arrested on firearms charges May 10th and arrested with two illegal firearms again on May 28th.  

On Friday, five individuals were arrested in different cars where firearms were recovered from each of those vehicles, including a high-capacity firearm.  Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood was made aware Monday night that four of those individuals have been released without bail being set.

The District Attorney’s Office requested $50,000 for each of the five individuals.  Judge William Rota released four individuals on their own recognizance with the only condition not to have firearms.  Judge Rota did place a $1000 bail on Mr. Luke McKinnie who is still being held.  

“It’s getting harder and harder to ask our officers to risk their lives to get dangerous individuals carrying firearms off the streets when they don’t even stay in jail for 24 hours,” said Commissioner Clapprood.  

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno stated, “Unbelievable! What will it take to hold these repeat violent offenders, charged with illegal guns and released back on our streets, and not held accountable for their crimes?  Judge William Rota declined the District Attorney’s bail recommendation and the defense attorney’s recommendation and released them on their own personal recognizance with a slap on the wrist and to please not play with guns anymore.  Do you really think that they will take this matter seriously?  These individuals were not selling Girl Scouts cookies.  I am very proud of the excellent work our brave and dedicated SPD do every day working to take these guns and repeat violent criminal offenders off our streets.  It is so frustrating when all their hard work is brushed aside.  I hear from our residents of all creed colors and backgrounds and our business community all the time asking, begging for help to clean up our streets.  I don’t think Judge Rota nor would his residents in his community in the Berkshires like these repeat violent offenders in their home community.  I again implore our state delegation to take up and pass my Bail legislation and Governor Bakers Dangerousness legislation which would be a very important tool for our Commonwealth, our District Attorney and our community to help address this ongoing pandemic of repeat violent criminal offenders and get their guns off our streets.  The courts must stop being a revolving door for these repeat violent offenders.”

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Page last updated:  Tuesday, March 1, 2022 01:32 pm