READING — Chief David Clark reports that the Reading Police Department removed an illegal, untraceable firearm from the street thanks to an officer who conducted a proactive traffic stop and made an arrest.
GREGORY RASKIND, 35, OF LEXINGTON, was arrested and charged with:
- Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm
- Improper Storage of a Firearm
- Unlawful Possession of Ammunition
- Possession of an Untraceable Firearm
- Defective Equipment
- Expired Inspection Sticker
On Monday, June 30, at approximately 8:10 p.m., Officer Amr Hassan was on patrol in the area of Main Street, near Salem Street, when he observed a blue Lexus with a brake light that wasn’t working. Upon running the vehicle’s license plates, Officer Hassan learned that the vehicle also had an expired inspection sticker.
Officer Hassan stopped the vehicle nearby, and while speaking with the driver, who was identified as RASKIND, Officer Hassan noticed a 9mm bullet on the floor of the vehicle.
A subsequent search of the vehicle located a loaded, 9mm handgun with no serial number on the upper receiver — an apparent “ghost gun.” Police also located another magazine and numerous rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. RASKIND does not have a license to carry firearms.
RASKIND was taken into custody at the scene without incident. He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Woburn District Court.
These are allegations. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
