ROXBURY, Mass. — A routine traffic stop in Roxbury on Thursday night led to the arrest of a 31-year-old Newton man and the recovery of a loaded firearm with a removed serial number. Mandell Johnson was taken into custody by officers assigned to Boston Police District B-2 (Roxbury) following the incident.
At approximately 10:10 p.m. on August 15, 2024, officers on patrol observed a vehicle driving recklessly on Quincy Street near Blue Hill Avenue. The vehicle failed to slow down before turning into traffic, prompting officers to initiate a traffic stop by activating their cruiser’s lights and sirens. The vehicle eventually came to a stop near 4 Maybury Street.
Upon approaching the vehicle, officers noted that both occupants appeared visibly nervous, shaking, and were unable to answer basic questions. Due to their behavior, officers requested the occupants to exit the vehicle for further investigation.
During a pat frisk of the passenger, officers immediately felt the presence of a firearm. As the suspect attempted to flee, officers quickly restrained him and placed him in handcuffs. The firearm was identified as a Mossberg MC1-SC, loaded with one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. The serial number on the firearm had been removed, raising further legal concerns.
In addition to Johnson’s arrest, officers discovered that the vehicle’s operator was driving with a suspended license. The operator will be summonsed to court on charges related to the suspended license.
Johnson is expected to be arraigned in court on firearm-related charges, including possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number. The incident remains under investigation by Boston Police.