Massachusetts man faces nearly 70 firearm, domestic counts after allegedly choking girlfriend in Rhode Island

Attorney General Peter Neronha announced Tuesday that a Massachusetts man has been charged in Providence County Superior Court with 68 counts of firearms and domestic violence-related offenses following his arrest by the Johnston Police on May 5, 2023.

On December 4, 2023, the Office of the Attorney General charged 42-year-old Yaran Drawbridge of Holden, Mass. by way of criminal information, with 62 counts of possession of a large capacity magazine, three counts of possession of a sawed-off rifle, one count of domestic assault by strangulation, one count of simple domestic assault, and one count of domestic disorderly conduct.

As alleged in the criminal information, on May 4, 2023, Johnston Police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance on Juniper Lane. It is alleged that officers encountered the victim waiting at a neighbor’s house, where she told police she escaped a domestic assault by her boyfriend, the defendant. It is further alleged that Drawbridge physically assaulted her and put her in a chokehold, before the victim was able to escape through a bathroom window.

As alleged in the criminal information, when she met the responding officers, she told officers that she believed that Drawbridge was still in the residence and in possession of multiple firearms.

As alleged, officers responded to the residence and entered the home through a rear door. While searching for Drawbridge, officers observed various types of large capacity magazines and other gun paraphernalia in the basement of the home. Ultimately, they were unable to locate Drawbridge, at which time the victim told police that he owned another home in Holden, Mass.

As further alleged, investigators sought a warrant for Drawbridge’s arrest and alerted Holden Police of the matter. On May 5, 2023, he turned himself in to Johnston Police Headquarters. Investigators subsequently executed a search warrant at Drawbridge’s Johnston residence in which they seized three altered rifles, with shortened barrels, and 62 large capacity magazines, including 30-round .223 caliber, 30-round 7.62mm, and 31-round 9mm magazines.

Drawbridge is scheduled for a pre-arraignment conference on February 7, 2024, in Providence County Superior Court.