Beverly Man On Parole Faces Weapons Charges

BEVERLY, MA — Massachusetts State Police arrested a Beverly man with multiple prior felony convictions Monday. Massachusetts State Police Crime Gun Unit executed a search warrant of the apartment of Justin D. Hayes, 29, of Beverly, on Friday. Hayes was arrested around 7:30 a.m. Monday when he emerged from his apartment.

Investigators seized two pistols, nearly 350 rounds of various ammunition and body armor. Massachusetts State Police units, along with ATF agents, Beverly Police officers, Massachusetts Parole Officers, and a Middlesex County Sheriff’s Officer had set up surveillance of the apartment after investigators determined Hayes was in violation of his parole, which stems from a prior conviction on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Hayes was scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Salem District Court. In addition to parole violation, the new charges include unlawful possession of a firearm (2 counts), possession of a large capacity weapon or feeding device (2 counts), possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, receiving a firearm with a defaced serial number, committing a firearm violation while having at least three prior violent crime or drug crimes, possession of body armor in commission of a crime and unlawful possession of ammunition.

In August 2012, Hayes was one of six people arrested in a string of car break-ins in Beverly.