Westport Police arrest New Bedford man on several gun charges after finding clothing partially covered in blood

A local man is facing several charges after being arrested on Monday morning.

According to police, at approximately 4:15 a.m., Sergeant Nicholas Frustaci and Officer Christopher Rosa responded to an alarm activation at the Westport High / Middle School located at 400 Old County Road. After clearing that call, they headed west on Old County Road and encountered a male, later identified as Nathan Santana of New Bedford, walking in the heavy rain.

Santana was walking in a white tank top and sweatpants. He stated he had been walking / jogging with a friend but had taken a wrong turn and was lost. When questioned about the friend, Santana stated the friend was at home. Santana was also holding a small pink wristlet which he claimed was his girlfriend’s wallet. While speaking with him, officers observed scratches on his arms and back and his clothing was partially covered in blood. Due to the visible blood, officers questioned where his girlfriend was. He stated she had dropped him off but forgot the wallet in the car which is why he had it.

As officers continued to speak with him, Sergeant Frustaci noticed a bulge under Santana’s shirt at his waistline. Because his shirt was wet, Sergeant Frustaci could see the top of the bulge was black in color. Due to his training and experience, he knew these indicators were indicative of a firearm. He then ordered Santana to place his hands on his head which he complied with.

Santana was placed in handcuffs and detained until officers pat frisked him. Inside the waistband, Sergeant Frustaci located a loaded, black semi-automatic handgun. Santana was unable to produce a License to Carry. A system query of Santana revealed he did not have an LTC.

He was subsequently arrested and charged with Possession Large Capacity Firearm W/O FID Card, Unlicensed Possession of Ammunition, Carrying Loaded Firearm W/O License, Carrying Firearm W/O License, Possession of Large Capacity Feeding Device, and Receiving Stolen Property.

Santana was transported to Fall River District Court and has been arraigned on the aforementioned charges. He pled not guilty and was released with GPS electronic monitoring.

During booking, officers were able to make contact with owner of the wallet to ensure her safety. She was unaware Santana had stolen her wallet.

Santana’s next scheduled court appearance is a probable cause hearing on April 25th.