By Vanessa Mullins –
On Saturday, October 3, 2020 at about 11:53 a.m., officers with the Boston Police Department were on patrol in the area of Norfolk Street when they observed a gray BMW traveling on Norfolk Street without a front license plate displayed.
Officers pulled the vehicle over at the intersection of Norfolk Street and Nelson Street. Officers approached the vehicle to speak with the operator of the vehicle who was identified as Neil Tom and was the only occupant of the vehicle.
When officers requested Tom’s license and the vehicle registration, he was able to provide the officers the vehicle registration however he informed the officers that his license was suspended and provided the officers instead with his MA ID.
When officers advised Tom as to why they had pulled him over, he informed the officers that the front plate was put on his mother’s newly purchased car.
A CJIS check confirmed that Toms license was in fact suspended and he did not have the right to operate a motor vehicle in Massachusetts.
Due to the information that officers had and that Tom was also the only occupant of the vehicle, officers decided to have the vehicle towed.
Officers requested Tom to exit the vehicle and upon doing so they observed that he was wearing a GPS monitoring device around his ankle.
When Tom was asked by the officers about the GPS monitoring device he informed the officers that it was for a home invasion at which time officers did a pat frisk of Tom.
Before having the vehicle towed officers did a vehicle inventory at which time they recovered a black Smith and Wesson M&P Shield .45 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number and 7.45 caliber live cartridge rounds loaded in the magazine. Tom was at this time taken into custody.
Officers also recovered a plastic baggie with a yellow rock like substance which they believed to be crack cocaine.
At District B-3, officers searched Tom during the booking process and they recovered $3,123.00 cash.
Also at B-3, officers weighed the yellow rock like substance which they believed to be crack cocaine and it was 10 grams.
Tom was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession with intent to distribute class B controlled substance, operating after suspension subsequent offense and number plate violation (no front plate).
Because Tom has prior convictions for unarmed robbery, kidnapping and assault dangerous weapon he was additionally charged with armed career criminal.
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