Marc Fortier

‘Deeply Troubling': Cambridge Man Arrested After Police Seize Huge Cache of 28 Guns, Ammunition, Body Armor

Mathew Devine, 39, of Cambridge, is expected to be arraigned Wednesday on 40 charges

A Cambridge man faces a total of 40 charges after police seized a huge cache of 28 illegal firearms, ammunition, body armor, bulletproof vests and other tools from his home and the home of one of his family members this week.

Mathew Devine, 39, of 43 Seven Pines Avenue, was arrested late Tuesday at his home.

Cambridge police said he will be charged with 26 counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition without an FID card, three counts of illegal possession of assault rifles, six counts of illegal possession of a large capacity feeding device, three counts of possession of a silencer, one count of possession of ammunition and one count of use of body armor in the commission of a felony.

He is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Cambridge District Court. It was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer.

"The operation that was identified was deeply troubling and the results of this long-term investigation will make a significant positive impact on our community," Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard Jr. said in a statement.

Cambridge police said the arrest was the culmination of an investigation that began in July after they were notified by the U.S. Postal Inspection Services of suspicious activity occurring at Devine's address.

During the course of their investigation, police said they determined that more than 75 packages worth more than $26,000 were delivered to Devine, including a complete AR-15 build kit and a milling machine, with return addresses primarily originating from gun and weapons companies.

The gun parts were purchased online, distributed through the mail and assembled into untraceable complete firearms.

Devine did not have a license to carry a firearm.

On Tuesday afternoon, Cambridge police said they executed search warrants on Devine's residence and a family member's home on Gold Star Road and seized 25 illegal firearms, three unregistered assault rifles, parts to make dozens of additional illegal firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, five bulletproof vests and other body armor and milling machines.

In addition to the U.S. Postal Inspection Services, Cambridge police said they were assisted in their investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, the New England Electronic Crimes Task Force and the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Cambridge police at 617-349-3300. Anonymous tips can also be submitted at http://www.cambridgema.gov/cpd/communityresources/anonymouscrimetips.

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