Waltham man arrested on firearm possession charge 

A Waltham man was arrested this week after police allegedly found him in illegal possession of a firearm.

On Sept. 6 at 11:38 a.m., officers responded to reports of a possible domestic violence situation between roommates at a residence on Lexington Street. Police spoke with the property owners, who reported one roommate was trying to collect his belongings from the address, but the other roommate, identified as Patrick J. Rooney, 35, of Waltham, wouldn’t let him. According to the police report, the two argued the night before. 

When officers arrived, Rooney refused to open the door or return their phone calls. Officers cleared the scene after telling the roommate, who was present, that they would escort him back to the property when he returned to collect his belongings. The property owners told police that a previous tenant had left a shotgun on the property that was not removed, but there was no ammunition. They said they didn’t think Rooney was capable of using the firearm.

On Sept. 7, police called Rooney, explaining a shotgun was in the home and they wanted to remove it. Rooney agreed to let the officers collect it. Police discovered the shotgun inside a storage bench, and it was loaded. 

While documenting the event back at the police station, an officer discovered Rooney had an active abuse prevention order and an active harassment prevention order against him that required him to surrender all guns, ammunition, gun licenses and firearm ID cards. Police returned to the residence and told Rooney he needed to step outside to “sign some paperwork regarding the shotgun.” Once outside, Rooney was arrested.

Rooney pleaded not guilty on Sept. 8 to charges of violating a firearm surrender order, violating a harassment prevention order, possessing a firearm without an FID card, possessing ammunition without an FID card and improper storage of a firearm. He was released on personal recognizance by Judge Ellen M. Caulo. Rooney will face a pretrial hearing on Nov. 10.

Additional court activity

Mark Dunne, 63, homeless, of Waltham, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 14 to a charge of indecent exposure. The charge is in relation to an alleged public urination incident on Carter Street. Dunne was released on personal recognizance by Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing on Nov. 11.

Nasla Nunez, 21, of Lynn, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 9 to one count of malicious damage to a motor vehicle stemming from an incident in the driveway of a Waltham residence. Nunez was released on personal recognizance by Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing for her case on Oct. 21.

Kristie Keane, 52, of Waltham, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 8 to two counts of assault and battery and one count of strangulation or suffocation. The charges stem from an incident at a Waltham residence. Keane was released on personal recognizance by Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing on Nov. 10.

Stephen M. Mccann, 71, of Waltham, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 8 to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. The charge stemmed from an incident outside a Waltham residence. Mccann was released on personal recognizance by Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing on Oct. 22.

Randy Palala Rodas, 18, of Waltham, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 8 to one count of assault and battery on a family or household member, one count of breaking and entering for a misdemeanor, one count of vandalizing property and one count of criminal harassment. The charges stem from an incident at a Waltham residence. Palala Rodas was released on personal recognizance by Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing on Oct. 20.

Elvia Amparo Gabriel Bernal, 39, of Waltham, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 8 to charges of operating under the influence of liquor, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. The charges stem from an incident near the intersection of Hammond Street and Columbus Avenue in Waltham. Gabriel Bernal was released on personal recognizance by Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing on Oct. 26.

Robert Dagostino, 33, of Waltham, pleaded not guilty on Sept. 8 to a charge of assault and battery. The charge stems from an incident at a Waltham residence. Dagostino was released on personal recognizance by Caulo and will face a pretrial hearing on Oct. 22.

Guniel Laurent, 35, of Waltham, had charges against him dismissed on Sept. 9 due to lack of prosecution. The charges filed against him in June included one count of malicious destruction of property valued at less than $1,200 and one count of assault and battery on a family or household member. The charges were dismissed due to lack of prosecution, meaning that the Commonwealth was not equipped to prosecute the case and decided to dismiss it.