CHICOPEE — Detectives conducting a property check at Szot Park early Tuesday morning arrested a South Hadley man after finding a loaded handgun in his vehicle.
According to Chicopee Police, the incident occurred around 1:15 a.m. on Sept. 3 when officers noticed a car parked near the basketball courts.
The park is clearly marked with signs prohibiting trespassing after dark.
As detectives approached the vehicle, the driver, later identified as 26-year-old Juan Ramon Borges-Rivera, turned on the lights, indicating the car was occupied.
Borges-Rivera and his female passenger were informed they were trespassing.
Borges-Rivera initially refused to exit the vehicle but eventually complied and was taken into custody.
During an inventory search of the car before towing, a loaded handgun was discovered in the pocket behind the passenger’s seat.
It was determined that Borges-Rivera did not possess a valid license to carry firearms.
Borges-Rivera faces multiple charges including trespassing, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, carrying a firearm without an LTC, and possession of a large capacity firearm.
The female passenger was also issued a criminal complaint to appear in court on charges of trespassing and possession of an electric stun gun.
