By Jim Clark

On Wednesday afternoon of last week, Somerville Police Dispatch received a call for shots fired in the area of Myrtle St. at Perkins St. Officers dispatched to the scene found one spent 9mm shell casing.

Witness reports provided police with descriptions of a male suspect and a vehicle seen leaving the area shortly after the shots were heard.

According to reports, for the remainder of the night detectives in the Somerville Police Narcotics Unit as well as the Somerville Police Gang Unit, in multiple unmarked vehicles, conducted a saturation patrol in an undercover capacity in this general area. The detectives were concerned that a retaliatory act would take place.

At approximately 9:15 p.m., police located a vehicle matching the witness description. The detectives were able to determine that the vehicle was occupied by four individuals. Three of the four individuals were positively identified by detectives as Justin Myrick (front seat passenger), Michael Castillo (rear passenger driver side), and a juvenile known to authorities (rear passenger, passenger side).

These individuals are reportedly well known to the Somerville Police Department, in particular the Narcotic and Gang Units.

According to official reports, the Somerville Housing Police as well as Somerville Police have received information regarding these particular individuals being actively involved in narcotics sales as well as possessing firearms.

Based on the above information and the earlier incident involving shots fired, detectives kept a rolling surveillance of the vehicle and its occupants. During this surveillance, the vehicle kept repeatedly traveling through the same area of lower Broadway as well as sections of Charlestown that border the Somerville city line, police said.

It appeared to detectives that the vehicle was conducting surveillance of these particular streets. It appeared to the officers that the back seat passengers became aware that they were being followed and repeatedly turned around to monitor the detectives’ whereabouts. They then reportedly proceeded to crouch lower in the back seat of the vehicle, preventing us from being able to clearly observe them.

I was at this point that police believed the operator, later identified as Mario Mestanza-Moran, was attempting to lose any following vehicles and began disregarding street signs including the stop sign at Perkins St. at Mt. Vernon, as well as the do not enter sign located on Perkins St. by Caldwell St.

At times, the vehicle was reportedly traveling in excess of 50 mph. The detectives determined the vehicle should be stopped and requested a marked unit to their location.

A marked Somerville police cruiser activated its blue lights and sirens and began to initiate a motor vehicle stop of this vehicle at the intersection of McGrath Highway and Medford St. Once Mestanza-Moran became aware that the cruiser was approaching his vehicle, he reportedly turned abruptly into a driveway located at 281 Medford St. and parked. The detectives then proceeded to stop their unmarked vehicles directly behind the vehicle. The four males then reportedly began to exit the vehicle in efforts to evade the police. The detectives quickly approached the suspects and handcuffed them for officer safety.

The arresting officers said they could see in plain view a black firearm on the floor board between the front and rear passenger side seat of the vehicle. Police immediately took possession of the firearm and rendered it safe. The location of this firearm was in the exact spot that the juvenile was previously seated, according to reports.

The officers conducted pat frisks of the male parties, and a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana was reportedly found in Myrick’s right front pants pocket. Sgt. Capasso conducted a pat frisk of Michael Castillo and confiscated

A folding knife was reportedly located in Castillo’s inner jacket pocket.

All parties were placed under arrest and transported to Somerville Police Headquarters.

The juvenile was charged with carrying a firearm with ammunition.

Michael Castillo was charged with violation of city ordinance possession of a dangerous weapon.

Justin Myrick was charged with drug possession to distribute.

Mario Mestanza-Moran was charged with reckless operation of a motor vehicle.