Pepo Herd El, Armed with Loaded Firearm at MBTA Station, Massachusetts 2020

Boston, Massachusetts – A Boston man was arrested and charged with carrying a loaded firearm at the Ruggles MBTA station. Pepo Herd El, also known as Pepo Wamchawi Herd El, 47, of Dorchester, was indicted on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to the indictment, El made several firearms-related purchases online and bought chemicals that could be used to assemble explosives in the year leading up to his arrest. Federal investigators began surveilling El in November 2020, after they became concerned that he might possess a firearm or an explosive.

On November 26, 2020, El took a bus from his home in Dorchester to the Ruggles MBTA station. He was detained and searched pursuant to a search warrant, during which law enforcement discovered that he was in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol, three spare magazines and more than 40 rounds of ammunition. El was also wearing a bullet-proof vest and a jacket that had ‘security’ written on it.

During a subsequent search of El’s Dorchester residence, law enforcement officers discovered a fifth magazine loaded with armor-piercing rounds, in addition to other ammunition. Due to a 2004 state conviction for possessing firearms without permits and other crimes, El is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The investigation was conducted by FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with substantial assistance from the Boston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Beck and Benjamin Tolkoff of Lelling’s National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.

The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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