Boston man arrested in Bristol County with loaded illegal firearm for third time in a decade sentenced to prison

A 41-year-old Boston man who was arrested in Taunton with a loaded illegal firearm for the third time in a decade was sentenced to state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Alexander Harris pled guilty to Indictments, charging him with Carrying an Illegal Firearm (3rd offense) and Unlicensed Possession of a Loaded Firearm. He was sentenced to serve five to seven years.

On November 4, 2017, at 2:45 a.m., a Taunton Police officer observed a white Kia Forte stuck on top of the Cohannet Street railroad tracks and a male party, later identified as Harris, standing next to it. The vehicle had become stuck on the tracks after he accidentally drove along the tracks, believing it was a roadway.

The officer immediately called for a tow truck since the car was not able to be moved in any other fashion and he did not know when the next train was scheduled to come through the area.

An assisting officer then began to inventory the vehicle pursuant to the department’s tow policy. Harris presented as calm and relaxed until the officer began to open the trunk of the vehicle. At this point, he began yelling at the officer, stating essentially “you have no reason to go into my trunk.” Harris became agitated and began pacing back and forth. Due to his agitated state, the officers elected to finish the inventory at the tow yard.

The officers followed the tow truck to the tow yard and completed the inventory of the vehicle. During an inventory of the trunk of the vehicle, an officer located a Hi-Point model JCP .40 caliber firearm containing a loaded magazine with nine (9) rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. The firearm was leaning against the spare tire underneath the carpet in the trunk.

A short time later, officers apprehended Harris on Walnut Street. At the time of his arrest, he had been twice convicted in Suffolk County for illegally possessing a firearm.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Troy Murphy and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Daniel O’Shea.

“This defendant is a repeat offender who has prior conviction for illegal firearms. He has no business possessing any firearms and is a danger to the community. He needs to be kept off the street to protect the public,” District Attorney Quinn said.