Nixon and Van Johnson were also charged with four counts of selling a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school. The grand jury also indicted the couple under the State's 1998 gun laws on the charge of unlawful storage of firearms. The 1998 legislation requires that firearms, shotguns and rifles must be secured in a locked container, or equipped with a tamper-resistant lock or safety device. The safety device must be one which renders the weapon inoperable by anyone but the owner, or authorized user. Arraignments have not been scheduled yet in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield.
Defendants are innocent until proven guilty.
The regulations, which took effect April 3, prohibit the sale of handguns that do not have built-in child proofing features and handguns sold without an approved lock. The Attorney General has notified handgun manufacturers, wholesalers and every licensed dealer in Massachusetts about their responsibilities under the regulations as well as enforcement of the consumer protection gun safety provisions. Assistant Attorney General Matthew Shea of the Western Massachusetts Division is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by State Police assigned to AG Reilly's Springfield and Boston offices. Investigators from the Hampden County District Attorney's Drug Task Force, Springfield Police Department and Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force assisted in the investigation. The State Police Special Tactical Operations Team and the K-9 Unit and the Springfield Police assisted in the entry of the home.