SHIRLEY, MASS. (WHDH) - A Shirley man is being held without bail after officials say they seized a huge cache of illegal firearms, an array of ammunition and a collection of silencers during a bust at his home on Tuesday.
Jeffrey Dusti, 62, was arraigned Thursday in Ayer District Court on charges including possession of a firearm without a license, possession of a silencer, possession of a loaded firearm without a license, possession of ammunition, and possession of a sawed-off shotgun.
Members of the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit responding to Dusti’s Great Road home confiscated 47 unlicensed firearms, 44 homemade silencers, and 35,000 rounds of ammunition, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan.
“The defendant is alleged to not only have been in possession of multiple illegal firearms but to also have been illegally modifying the guns making them all the more dangerous,” Ryan said. “Simply put, there is no reason that a person with good intentions would require a silencer. Those devices are strictly made for violent and insidious purposes.”
When they entered the home, authorities immediately noticed a sawed-off shotgun in plain view before uncovering the rest of Dusti’s arsenal, officials said.
At the time of his arrest, Dusti is said to have had an open warrant out of Ayer District Court on charges of assault and battery on a person over the age of 60, making annoying phone calls, and witness intimidation in connection with an unrelated offense.
Those living in and around Shirley say news of the arrest is jarring, some fearing why one person would need so much firepower.
“You think of what they were planning to do, I guess,” said Kyle Boudreau.
Others reserved judgment.
“I think it’s a question of how did that escalate,” Rob McGeary said. “Do we know? Do you know how it is he became a collector like this?”
Those in Shirley say they’re relieved the ammunition has been recovered as it could have posed a hazard, even if it was never fired.
“Ordinance eventually goes bad, and therein is the rub,” McGeary said.
Another woman said, “I’m just glad everyone is safe and they found this person before anything bad could happen.”
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