Middlesex DA, MSP Colonel Warn About Ghost Gun 'Dangerous Trend'

WOBURN, MA — Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Massachusetts State Police Colonel John E. Mawn, Jr. confirmed Tuesday that their offices have been working together on investigations that led to the seizure of multiple firearms, including several ghost guns.

Ghost guns, according to the Brady Campaign, are unserialized and untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home. They are often sold through "ghost gun kits," which include all of the parts and often the equipment necessary to build these weapons at home.

According to Global News, 3D printers can produce ghost gun parts, which can then be assembled into a functional firearm.

Ryan and Mawn highlighted three recent local cases in where ghost guns were found, which they said appear to be part of a trend across Middlesex County.

The district attorney said her office has partnered with State Rep. David Linksy (D-Middlesex 5th) to spearhead legislation that amends current law to include 3D printed or do-it-yourself assembled guns.

The proposal also adds a section prohibiting the manufacture or assembly of firearms that do no bear serial numbers.

"We have recently seen multiple very concerning incidents involving ghost guns," Ryan said. "These firearms pose a very real threat to our communities, they are untraceable and those who possess and distribute these weapons are intentionally violating the gun laws we have in place in Massachusetts."

Ryan continued: "In Middlesex, we will continue to use every tool available to us, from enforcement and prosecution to working at a legislative level to close the existing loopholes that allow those without a gun license to possess the tools to make 'do-it-yourself' firearms."

In a release, Ryan and Mawn highlighted a case from last month in which and MSP officer stopped a motor vehicle in Wilmington for alleged erratic driving.

During the stop, the trooper observed an ammunition magazine, and an investigation revealed that the driver was in possession of a loaded 9mm Glock-style firearm with no serial number — a ghost gun —in addition to a magazine and ammunition for an AR-15 rifle, according to authorities.

Sean O'Connor, of Woburn, was arrested in connection win the incident, police said. An additional search of the suspect's home in Burlington uncovered multiple additional Glock-style ghost guns, along with frames and components of uncompleted handguns and AR-15-style rifles, according to police. Authorities said they also located a drill press and other tools used to fabricate ghost guns from those parts.

O'Connor was charged with possession of a firearm without a license, possession of a large capacity feeding device, improper storage of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a large capacity firearm, possession of a large capacity feeding device, possession of a firearm without a license, subsequent offense, possession of ammunition without a license and operating with a suspended license, the district attorney's office said.

According to authorities, O'Connor was initially held without bail and was then ordered into pretrial custody after being found dangerous at a hearing this past Friday. O'Connor is due back in court on March 31.

Meanwhile, on Feb. 24, MSP officers assigned to Ryan's office and detectives from the Woburn Police Department executed a search warrant of a Woburn home in connection to a ghost gun firearms manufacturing and trafficking investigation, Ryan and Mawn said.

At the residence, according to authorities, investigators seized a 3D printer, multiple 3D printed Glock style pistol frames, 3D printed magazine/feeding devices, several gun parts and tools used for manufacturing of firearms. Detectives also allegedly found illegal drugs.

According to police, during the warranted search, officers found that the 3D printer was actively working on making a ghost gun lower pistol frame.

The resident of the home, Vincent Johns, of Woburn, was charged with possession of a firearm without a license and trafficking firearms.

"These cases are just two examples of a dangerous trend we are seeing involving firearms," Ryan said. "In addition to the dangers to the public posed by unregistered and untraceable firearms, gun parts manufactured with 3D printers, similar to what we found in Woburn pose a particular risk to the user due to the fact that improper assembly or the use of plastic parts makes the guns likely to break apart or fire improperly upon use."

In addition to those cases, Ryan and Mawn also said a suspected ghost gun was found at the scene of a Feb. 20 fatal shooting on Washington Street in Woburn that claimed the life of 22-year-old Mussie Nirayo of Cambridge.

Tyler Olivier, 26, of Woburn, suffered gunshot wounds in the incident and also was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to authorities.

Authorities said they are still investigating if the suspected ghost gun was connected to the shooting.