A Salem man had a two-felony warrant issued for his arrest Thursday after he was found to be in possession of a sawed-off shotgun the previous day. Frederick J. Cummings, 29, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful transport or manufacture of an illegal firearm. Cummings’ bond was set at $50,000.
The case’s probable cause report states deputies with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office responded at 9:09 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a fight near the intersection of Highway 72 and Highway J. Upon arrival, three subjects were found in a vehicle parked on a paved approach 100 yards north of Highway J. Cummings was observed driving the vehicle and two females were in the backseat.
The report says one of the female subjects began yelling she’d been beaten up and that Cummings was in possession of a “big ass gun.” The deputies are detailed to have been familiar with Cummings past and knew him to be a convicted felon and unable to legally possess such a weapon.
An ensuing search of the vehicle located a loaded 12-gauge bolt action shotgun lying next to Cummings. The firearm is described as having its stock cut below the wrist and its barrel length sheared off. It measurement is listed as 14.25 inches from the face of its bolt to the end of its muzzle. The gun’s markings were also found to have been filed away.
A subsequent search of Cummings’ person further located two shells matching those found in the shotgun.
During a later interview at the sheriff’s office, Cummings said the shotgun wasn’t his and the vehicle he was driving was borrowed. He also said it was the two females fighting one another in the car that led him to pull over off Highway J.
Online court records indicate Cummings was previously twice convicted of felony charges. One 2009 case in St. Charles County convicted him of first degree burglary and two county of third degree assault. Another 2009 case in St. Charles County convicted him of theft or stealing or property or services valued at $500 or more.
