According to a news release from Springfield Police Spokesperson Ryan Walsh, an investigation was being conducted into a string of firearm-armed robberies at package stores and convenience stores since April. Detectives were able to identify the suspects allegedly involved and the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit set up surveillance.
Businesses robbed at gunpoint in Springfield
4/20 – Sullivan’s Allen Street Package Store, 390 Allen Street
6/27 – Kwik Pic, 32 Boston Road
6/29 – Citgo Gas, 707 Dickinson Street
7/2 – New World Gas Station, 570 Sumner Avenue
7/11 – Lucky Mini Mart, 604 Page Boulevard
8/23 – Kwik Pic, 32 Boston Road
8/25 – Plus One Convenience, 907 Carew Street
8/27 – New World Gas Station, 570 Sumner Avenue
9/5 – New World Gas Station, 527 Allen Street
9/5 – Shell Gas Station, 940 Belmont Avenue
9/12 – Sparky’s Gas Station – 429 Boston Road
9/15 – Shell Gas Station – 940 Belmont Avenue
9/16 – 7/11 Gas Station, 425 Springfield Street
9/18 – 7/11 Gas Station, 450 Cooley Street
6 suspects arrested during investigation
On Wednesday, detectives saw what they believed were four of the alleged suspects preparing to attempt an armed robbery. At around 8:45 p.m., the suspects parked a vehicle and a scooter on Wayne Street across from the Valero Gas Station on Allen Street.
The four suspects, 22-year-old Javahn Resto , 29-year-old Carlos Resto Jr. , 33-year-old Malwin Feliciano and a 17-year-old boy were arrested. Detectives seized a large-capacity Ghost Gun with 33 rounds of ammunition in the magazine which also had a sear selector switch making the firearm fully automatic, a large-capacity handgun that was loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition.
As detectives were waiting for a search warrant to be approved for a house on Dearborn Street, a suspect later identified as 48-year-old Carlos Resto Sr. got into a car and drove away. Officers pulled him over on Jasper Street and was arrested after police seized two large capacity magazines from inside the car.
Also found inside the car was a loaded Diamond back Rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, approximately 327 bags of heroin, more than 60 grams of cocaine, crack-cocaine, marijuana, shotgun shells, a gun laser, additional ammunition, five additional firearm magazines and more than $3000 in cash.
Another 17-year-old boy was arrested who was allegedly seen earlier loading backpacks inside the vehicle where contraband was found.
(Springfield Police Department)
Armed Robbery Suspects
Javahn Resto (22) of Springfield is charged with the following:
Firearm-Armed and Masked Robbery (11 Counts)
Possession of a Machine Gun
Possession of a Loaded Machine Gun
Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device
Carrying a Firearm without a License
Carrying a Loaded Large-Capacity Firearm on a Public Way
Improper Storage of a Firearm
Attempted Firearm-Armed and Masked Robbery
Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon
Carlos Resto Jr. (29) of Springfield is charged with the following:
Possession of a Machine Gun
Possession of a Loaded Machine Gun
Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device
Carrying a Firearm without a License
Carrying a Loaded Large-Capacity Firearm on a Public Way
Improper Storage of a Firearm
Attempted Firearm-Armed and Masked Robbery
Malwin Feliciano (33) of Springfield is charged with the following:
Possession of a Machine Gun
Possession of a Loaded Machine Gun
Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device
Carrying a Firearm without a License
Carrying a Loaded Large-Capacity Firearm on a Public Way
Improper Storage of a Firearm
Attempted Firearm-Armed and Masked Robbery
Carlos Resto Sr. (48) of Springfield is charged with the following:
Carrying a Firearm without a License (Two Counts)
Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card
Trafficking Cocaine 36-100 Grams
Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug – Subsequent Offense
Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class B Drug – Subsequent Offense
Possession of a High-Capacity Magazine/Feeding Device (Five Counts)
Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Three Counts)
Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Three Counts)
Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class D Drug – Subsequent Offense
Carrying a Loaded Rifle/Shotgun on a Public Way (Two Counts)
The Springfield Police did not release the names and charges of the two 17-year-old boys due to their age.
VIDEO: News Conference
The official announcement of the arrests was made Friday at the police headquarters. The news conference was held with Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers and Mayor Domenic Sarno to announce the details of the arrests.
“ I’d like to thank Captain Duda and his Detectives who worked this case along with Captain Keenan and his Unit for their role in apprehending these armed individuals. These suspects became more and more brazen in the past two weeks, assaulting a store clerk and amplifying the number of robberies. I am thankful that no one was seriously hurt, and no customers walked into the store during these crimes. The type of firepower that these suspects had in their possession, including a machine gun, could have caused a lot of damage. I’m proud of our Detectives, who in a professional manner and without incident, helped put a stop to these crimes that were impacting our local business community,” stated Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers.
“Simply put, tremendous job by our brave and dedicated Springfield Police Officers led by Captain Trent Duda and Captain Brian Keenan, and Sheriff Nick Cocchi’s Hampden County Sheriff’s Department. Thanks to their efforts and hard work, this crime spree, which started in April, was ended and numerous guns and drugs taken off our streets and out of our neighborhoods. Police Superintendent Larry Akers and I now ask our courts to do their job and hold these individuals accountable for the numerous serious crimes they have committed and the lives they have endangered. These violent incidents not only put our business community and their employees at risk but also our residents that were just trying to go about their day and shop for their grocery and other household needs. Once again, great job by our Springfield Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department,” sated Mayor Domenic Sarno.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
