Pittsfield Man Being Charged for Illegal Firearms, Ammunition Cache

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police have arrested a local man with illegally possessing firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

 

Mathew Sylvia, 32, of Linden Street was found in possession of eight firearms (rifles, shotguns and handguns) as well as a flare gun that was modified to fire shotgun rounds, say police. Sylvia also possessed more than 13,000 rounds of ammunition in both handgun, shotgun and rifle calibers (.22, .25, .357, .38, 9mm, .45, 7.62 x39, .410, 20ga and 12 ga).

 

According to police, Sylvia does not possess a valid License to Carry (LTC) or Firearms Identification Card (FID).

 

A tip that Sylvia was going to receive a large shipment of ammunition came on Oct. 19, while detectives were investigating the homicide of William Catalano, who was stabbed outside his Robbins Avenue home on Oct. 15.

 

Detectives applied for and received several search warrants that authorized both the seizure of more than 60 pounds of ammunition that was at a local shipping company, as well as a search of Sylvia's residence. Multiple firearms and more ammunition were seized by investigators at the residence.

 

Additionally, Sylvia possessed multiple high capacity feeding devices (magazines) for multiple firearms.

 

He will be charged with multiple counts of possession of firearms and ammunition without an FID, improper storage of firearms, and possession of large capacity feeding devices.

 

Sylvia was taken into custody by Central District Court Probation personnel based upon the investigation, which constituted a violation of his existing probation conditions.

 

The Pittsfield Detective Bureau received assistance in the case from the state police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.