PITTSFIELD — Massachusetts State Police announce that, around 9:50 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, Sergeant George Hamilton was on patrol serving as the Troop B Patrol supervisor in the city of Pittsfield. Hamilton observed a black BMW 535 sedan on Wahconah Street with registration plates that, when run, belonged to a 2008 Porsche. When safe to do so, Hamilton conducted a stop. The Sergeant made contact with the driver of the BMW and identified him as Shamaun Drayton, 35, of Springfield.
Drayton could not produce a driver’s license and handed Hamilton unrelated paperwork. Upon investigation while roadside, the BMW was found to be unregistered and Drayton’s license status in Massachusetts was suspended, making him subject to arrest. Drayton was removed from the vehicle and placed in the rear of Sergeant Hamilton’s cruiser.
Hamilton returned to the vehicle and spoke with the passenger, Tabitha Stanton, 22, of Pittsfield. When Hamilton informed Stanton that the vehicle would be towed at Drayton’s request, she grabbed a red bag from the floor and placed it over her shoulder. During Hamilton’s pre-tow vehicle inventory, he located in the glove box of the BMW, a 9MM Taurus TC111 handgun with a 15-round magazine inserted and a round in the chamber. Neither Stanton nor Drayton possess a license to carry a firearm. Drayton has multiple prior firearms charges and open firearms cases pending in Hampden County Superior Court. While conducting a probable cause search of the red bag on Stanton’s person, Hamilton found an additional magazine loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition among Stanton’s personal belongings. Drayton and Stanton were placed under arrest.
Drayton and Stanton were arraigned at Pittsfield District Court on the following charges: 1.) Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device; and 2.) Possession of Ammunition without FID Card (Drayton — subsequent offense).
Additionally, Drayton was charged with: 1.) Carrying a Loaded Firearm; Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device; 2.) 2nd Offense — Carrying a Firearm; 3.) Operation of a Motor Vehicle with Suspended License; 4.) Unregistered Motor Vehicle; and 5.) Attaching False Registration Plates.
