New Bedford Fugitive Sentenced for Gun and Drugs Offenses

NEW BEDFORD — A New Bedford man will spend up to four years in prison after he was caught with a handgun and drugs while hiding out in a city apartment.

Tylor Martin, 27, pleaded guilty Friday to carrying an illegal firearm with a prior violent conviction, illegally possessing a large capacity feeding device, and cocaine trafficking.

Martin has a long criminal record, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office.

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The D.A.'s office said authorities had been searching for Martin for around a year before a state police unit that specializes in catching violent fugitives discovered him hiding out in a West Hill Road apartment in October 2022.

At the time, he had two active arrest warrants issued against him for domestic violence, the office noted.

After arresting Martin, police saw a loaded 9mm handgun and narcotics in the apartment, resulting in a search that turned up more than 48 grams of crack cocaine and a firearm magazine that holds 30 rounds.

Martin was sentenced to serve three to four years in state prison.

He still faces domestic assault and battery, strangulation, assault, intimidation, breaking and entering, and unarmed robbery charges for two incidents that took place in New Bedford in 2021.

"The defendant has a history of violence and was in possession of a firearm, large capacity feeding device and a large quantity of drugs while on the run from police," Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said.

"He clearly is a danger to the community and needs to be kept off the street to protect the public."