SPRINGFIELD, MA — Members of the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit, along with federal and state partners, seized three firearms and arrested a man at Union Station on Monday.
Ananias Davidson, 32, of Lynchburg, Virginia, was taken into custody at approximately 12:10 p.m. as he arrived on a bus from North Carolina.
For several weeks, FIU detectives had been working with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on an investigation into Davidson allegedly transporting firearms across state lines as part of an illegal firearms distribution operation.
Davidson was alleged to acquire firearms, load them into luggage and transport them by bus to Massachusetts, where he would connect with prospective customers to purchase the firearms, according to police.
Around 11:15 a.m., a bus Davidson was on arrived at Union Station from North Carolina.
Massachusetts State Police K9 Roxy was utilized to locate potential firearms and alerted law enforcement officers to a backpack stowed under the bus.
All passengers retrieved their luggage except Davidson, who remained in the area watching what was occurring, police said.
The backpack was the lone piece of luggage that was not retrieved.
During a search of the backpack, investigators recovered two loaded large capacity firearms and an unloaded firearm.
Detectives and troopers then placed Davidson under arrest.
During the booking procedure at Springfield Police Headquarters, Davidson broke a doorknob to the holding area and kicked a bench, breaking it away from the wall, according to police.
At the time of his arrest, Davidson also had three outstanding non-extraditable warrants from California, Virginia and North Carolina.
He was also previously convicted of a felony in California.
Davidson is charged with carrying a firearm without a license (three counts), carrying a loaded large capacity firearm without a license (two counts), possession of ammunition without an FID card – subsequent offense, improper storage of a large capacity firearm (two counts), improper storage of a firearm, convicted felon in possession of a firearm (three counts) and malicious destruction of property more than $1,200 (two counts).
