SPD FIU Investigation Dismantles Firearm Manufacturing Operation; Machine Guns, Ghost Gun and Trafficking Weight of Heroin and Cocaine Seized

Springfield, Mass. — During the afternoon of Wednesday September 4th, members of the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit (FIU) under the direction of Captain Brian Keenan and Sergeant Jaime Bruno along with members of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department seized four firearms, including a ghost gun, a 3D printer, trafficking weight of heroin/fentanyl and cocaine while arresting three suspects.

FIU Detectives were conducting an investigation on the 0-100 block of Willard Avenue.  While conducting surveillance Detectives observed John-Paul Vargas leave his home and get into a car.  Detectives continued mobile surveillance until he stopped in a parking lot on Boston Road.  A subject, later identified as Jason Redcloud, walked up to and got in the car.  After a few minutes, Redcloud got out of the car and walked away.  Detectives believed this to be a drug deal, assisting Detectives stopped Redcloud and recovered crack-cocaine.  Officers placed Redcloud under arrest.

Vargas drove away from the parking lot, stopped at a gas station on Boston Road and went into the store.  Detectives arrested Vargas inside the store.  Inside his car Detectives recovered crack-cocaine, cocaine and heroin.

Detectives then applied for and were granted a search warrant for Vargas’ home on Willard Avenue.  Around 3:30 p.m. Detectives and Sheriff’s Deputies executed the search warrant.  Detectives detained and would later arrest Ruth Espinal from inside the apartment.

During the search Detectives recovered, 995 bags of heroin weighing approximately 19.88 grams, approximately 77 Fentanyl pills weight 7.7 grams, 3 bags of cocaine weighing approximately 53 grams, one bag of crack-cocaine weighing approximately 40.7 grams, a jar of mushrooms and $1192 in cash.

Detectives also seized a 3D printer that was allegedly being used to make firearm parts, various firearm parts, three automatic conversion devices and various automatic parts that were incomplete, Springfield Hellcat 9mm firearm, a Glock 19 9mm firearm with a sear selector that turns the gun into a machine gun, 19 rounds of loose ammunition, a Glock 31 .357 Sig firearm, two high-capacity firearm magazines that were capable of holding 31 rounds of ammunition and a Ghost Gun with a sear selector also making it capable of fully automatic fire.

At the time of this arrest Vargas was outfitted with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet as he is out on bail from a case in Hampden Superior Court where he is charged with stalking, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm silencer, two counts of possession of ammunition without an FID card, criminal harassment, three counts of annoying a person of the opposite sex and possession with the intent to distribute a Class B drug.

30-year-old John-Paul Vargas of Springfield is charged with:

• Distribution of a Class B Drug (Two Counts)
• Cocaine Trafficking 36-100 Grams
• Heroin/Fentanyl Trafficking 18-36 Grams
• Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card (Two Counts)
• Possession of a Machine Gun (Two Counts)
• Possession of a Loaded Machine Gun
• Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card (Three Counts)
• Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Nine Counts)
• Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Three Counts)
• Improper Storage of a Large-Capacity Firearm near a Minor
• Improper Storage of a Firearm (Three Counts)
• Possession of a High-Capacity Magazine/Feeding Device (Two Counts)
• Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law
• Resisting Arrest
• Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class C Drug

29-year-old Ruth Espinal of Springfield is charged with:

• Cocaine Trafficking 36-100 Grams
• Heroin/Fentanyl Trafficking 18-36 Grams
• Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card (Two Counts)
• Possession of a Machine Gun (Two Counts)
• Possession of a Loaded Machine Gun
• Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card (Three Counts)
• Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Nine Counts)
• Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Three Counts)
• Improper Storage of a Large-Capacity Firearm near a Minor
• Improper Storage of a Firearm (Three Counts)
• Possession of a High-Capacity Magazine/Feeding Device (Two Counts)
• Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law
• Resisting Arrest
• Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class C Drug

51-year-old Jason Redcloud is charged with:

• Possession of a Class B Drug