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The New Bedford Police Department last week announced that it arrested a man and charged him with a firearm offense after an officer conducted a welfare check on a person seen “slumped” in his car in the roadway. The officer reported he found the vehicle was in drive, and that the man was intoxicated and in possession of drugs and a loaded firearm.
What the Sept. 29 press release doesn’t state is that the firearm, a handgun, is registered to a New Bedford police officer.
The department’s internal affairs unit opened an internal investigation the day of the arrest, Assistant Deputy Chief Scott Carola told The Light, confirming the firearm is registered to an unnamed officer. He said the firearm is not department-issued.
Police Department spokesperson Holly Huntoon said it remains an active investigation and as such, they don’t have further comment “until the facts have been gathered and the investigation is complete.”
Huntoon said the officer to which the firearm is registered is still on active duty as “no information has been obtained that would justify placing any officer on leave; however, that could change as the investigation progresses.”
The arrested man, 27-year-old Igor Lima, was charged with possession with intent to distribute drugs, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and carrying a firearm while intoxicated. The report states the responding officer detected a “strong odor” of alcohol from Lima’s vehicle, and that Lima had “slurred speech.” The officer then observed a handgun in the center console, which was loaded.
The officer also recovered a bag of cocaine, a bag of marijuana and a digital scale in Lima’s possession.
In Massachusetts, it is illegal to carry a loaded firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Per the Police Department, Lima has a valid license to carry and was “legally in possession of the firearm.”
Frank Camera, Lima’s attorney, did not respond to questions on how Lima obtained the firearm.
Under state law, if a gun owner transfers, sells or gifts their firearm to another person, they must file a transaction record with the state, something accomplished through an online portal. It is a crime to fail to report the sale or transfer.
In the event a person’s gun is stolen or lost, state law requires them to file a report with the state or local police department.
NBPD’s report on the arrest lists “seized (not previously stolen)” for the firearm, classified as a semi-automatic pistol.
Court records show Lima has previously been charged in New Bedford driving while unlicensed, driving with a suspended license, and possession with intent to distribute a class D substance (which often refers to marijuana). Those charges were dismissed.
A plea of not guilty was entered during Lima’s arraignment last week.
Email Anastasia E. Lennon at alennon@newbedfordlight.org.
WOW, unbelievable now we have a person sleeping in a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, has cocaine and weed in his vehicle and has a ” legal firearm” that believe ngs to a new Bedford police officer. No story here folks keep it moving!! What a sad joke now Mitchell has his ” new and improved” police chief let’s see what happens….
Not a good story, after all the scrutiny and bad press the New Bedford Police Department has received (the Boston Globe articles) you would think the leadership would have proceeded with caution, avoid more bad publicity, and considered putting the officer on desk duty until the investigation was completed.
This is beyond disturbing.
A handgun, registered to an officer of the NBPD, is found in the possession of an intoxicated individual. Also present were cocaine, marijuana and a scale for weighing drugs.
Hopefully, Igor Lima has lost his “valid license to carry a firearm” and an investigation into how he acquired same and who recommended him is going on and will be public knowledge.
Given the past history of some members of the NBPD, these occurrences besmirch the honest officers within the NBPD, who themselves need to “blow the whistle” on any improper or illegal activity within the NBPD.
it is so sad that suspion on a police pfficer has cast a shadow over good professional and Honest cops
He didn’t report the gun stolen and he’s still on active duty? Isn’t that a crime though?
Something stinky going on here!! 🥹This makes the NBPD look shady and ruins the reputation of the good honest officers! Shame on the Chief for letting this slide!! 😌
It blows my mind how people make judgement without knowing anything else about HOW this pistol got into this guy’s car. Could it have been unknowingly taken from the officer’s home or car? Give me a break!
No reasonable explanation for this has yet been reported. This cannot go into the dark deep hole of lost or forgotten investigations. This has the potential to be a serious police management problem which requires follow-up.