Man who brought gun to ‘Funz’ trampoline park sentenced
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday that a New Bedford man arrested last month while carrying an illegal gun in a trampoline park was sentenced to state prison.
According to court documents, Chantra Say, 32, pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court Tuesday to multiple firearm possession charges.
District Attorney Thomas Quinn said that on March 4, New Bedford police responded to the “Funz” trampoline park after a juvenile caller reported a man wearing a ski mask with a gun in his pocket.
Police said when they arrived scene, they located and approached Say. When he noticed the officers, Quinn said, he turned to another man and pulled an object from his pocket wrapped in a plastic bag.
Authorities said Say tried to give the object in the bag to another man nearby but the other man did not take it from him.
Officers said they observed the item in the bag resembled a handgun. When they tried to detain Say, he threw the bag into a nearby trash can, Quinn said.
Police said the item in the bag was a Jimenez 9mm pistol loaded with 12 rounds after it was recovered from the trash can.
Say initially provided a false name but police were able to confirm his identity with help from the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit.
Court records said Say has a prior conviction for possession of a firearm and was on probation at the time of his arrest for armed assault with intent to murder.
“Despite being on probation for a prior shooting, the defendant was walking around in a park for children with a loaded gun. He has a history of convictions for violent offenses and clearly continues to be a significant danger to the community. I’m pleased this case was resolved very quickly and that the defendant will be off the street for up to fifteen years,” Quinn said.
Say was sentenced to serve up to 15 years in state prison on carrying an illegal firearm-subsequent offense with two priors, unlawful possession of ammunition with two prior crimes, software violence and unlawful possession of a large capacity feeding device.
