SPRINGFIELD — A coordinated effort by local and federal law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of a 21-year-old Springfield man, Yariel Berrios-Ortiz, on Thursday, March 14, at 8:35 a.m.
Berrios-Ortiz, who had 11 active warrants for various alleged crimes across several cities, was caught with an illegal firearm on the 0-100 block of Sanderson Street.
The arrest was the result of a joint operation by the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit (FIU) led by Captain Brian Keenan, Massachusetts State Police VFAS, Holyoke Police Investigation Unit, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, ATF Boston Field Division, Springfield Field Office, and U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.
After Berrios-Ortiz was spotted and arrested outside his residence, officials executed a search warrant at his apartment, where they found a semi-automatic firearm equipped with a large capacity magazine.
The previous encounter with law enforcement on Feb. 29 saw Berrios-Ortiz evading arrest by ramming into police and civilian vehicles before fleeing the state.
Berrios-Ortiz now faces several charges including possession of a firearm without an FID card, unlicensed possession of an assault weapon, and improper storage of a firearm near a minor, among others related to vehicle and property crimes.
The outstanding warrants span crimes in Springfield, Ludlow, Westfield, Wilbraham, and Holyoke.
