Ghost Guns, Gun Kits Found In Woburn Drug, Gun Bust: Court Documents

WOBURN, MA — Police found multiple “ghost guns” and gun manufacturing tools when they searched the Woburn home of a man they then arrested last week, according to court documents.

Drew Kelley, 25, is now facing close to a dozen weapons and drug charges as he remains held without bail in Middlesex County Jail, as documented on his case docket.

Police announced their search and arrest of Kelly last week, discussing a multi-agency operation involving Woburn Police, Melrose Police and personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration in Boston.

Documents filed in Woburn District Court then offered additional information and police descriptions of the operation.

Investigators looking into Kelley set up outside his home on Mishawum Road last Thursday morning with a plan to wait for him to leave his home before moving in to conduct their search, according to a narrative by Woburn Detective Lieutenant John Walsh.

Investigators had a search warrant and "had received information that Kelley was in possession of illegal firearms," Walsh wrote.

Kelley separately applied for a license to carry a firearm in June, Walsh said. Woburn Police denied that application, according to Walsh, meaning Kelley didn't have a license to carry.

Police indeed eventually pulled Kelley over while he was driving, searching him before some investigators then returned to Kelley’s home to conduct their additional search, according to Walsh.

There, they found drugs, cash and guns, according to court filings.

Woburn Detective Joseph Mestone took the task of securing weapons during this search, according to his description of events filed in court.

In addition to other findings, Mestone described at least two ghost guns found at Kelley’s home. Lacking a serial number, these weapons can be assembled by users themselves, Mestone said.

Mestone said investigators found other tools, accessories, parts and “build kits” around the ghost guns in Kelley’s house.

Walsh separately noted mailed packages that he said were found to contain gun components and build kits.

Ghost guns have been a topic of concern and discussion among law enforcement and policymakers particularly in recent years due to difficulties in tracing them.

The weapons, officials add, have been becoming more popular, with the White House reporting in April that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms had recently seen a 10-fold increase in the number of ghost guns recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations compared to 2016 data.

The federal government rolled out new regulations earlier this year, in part classifying “buy build shoot” gun kits as firearms, subjecting them to licensing and serialization requirements.

More recently, a federal judge last week issued a permanent injunction against ghost gun manufacturer Polymer80 for illegally selling products in Washington D.C., according to Axios.

The judge’s injunction stemmed from a D.C. lawsuit against Polymer80. The company is facing multiple similar lawsuits, Axios reports.

Locally, court filings identified Polymer80 as the manufacturer of one of the guns found in Kelley’s home during last week’s search.

Kelley was arraigned in court on Friday. He was ordered held without bail while awaiting a dangerousness hearing set for Tuesday of this week.