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by Cody Shepard

August 15, 2018

Police say the man was found to have a .357 Ruger and a .22 Ruger.

MIDDLEBORO — A town man was arrested Monday evening after an investigation by detectives into guns being sold throughout the county.

State police detectives assigned to the Plymouth County district attorney’s office investigated the case, which resulted in the arrest of 47-year-old David Melville.

Police say they received information that Melville was selling firearms within Plymouth County. As a result of the investigation, police obtained a search warrant for his GMC Sierra pickup truck.

On Monday, state police located Melville and his truck at a store in Middleboro, about 5:15 p.m. Police approached Melville and detained him, then executed the search warrant on his truck.

Police say he was found to be in possession of two firearms -- a .357 Ruger and a .22 Ruger. Police also seized 56 rounds of ammunition for the revolvers.

“Detectives determined that the firearms had defaced serial numbers and seized an ammunition feeding device and ammunition,” said Beth Stone, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

Melville was arrested and charged with two counts each of illegal possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number and one count each of illegal possession of ammunition and illegal possession of a feeding device.

Melville pleaded not guilty Tuesday during his arraignment in Wareham District Court.

A prosecutor with the district attorney’s office requested Melville be held on $15,000 bail, but a judge set bail at $10,000 with the condition he wear a GPS-monitoring bracelet if he posts bail.

The case was investigated by the state police detectives assigned to Cruz’s office, who were assisted by the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotic Reduction Enforcement Team, State Police Special Tactical Operations Team, State Police Gang Unit and Middleboro police.