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Police: Elementary School Custodian Had Loaded Gun On School Property

WESTFORD (CBS) – An elementary school custodian is accused of having a loaded gun in the trunk of his car on school grounds.

Westford Police arrested 21-year-old James Healy after a school resource officer received an anonymous tip about a picture posted online.

"It had to do with a firearm being posted on a social media website, and that the party involved was an employee of the town who worked at one of the schools," Westford Police Lt. James Peloquin said.

The tip sent detectives to the John A. Crisafulli Elementary School, where they confronted Healy about the image.

"Ultimately got consent to search his motor vehicle, and then he found a firearm in the trunk of the vehicle," Lt. Peloquin said.

Westford Public Schools Superintendent Everett Olsen said Healy had recently returned to work after being placed on leave for a separate matter.

"This is a serious violation of the law and school safety," Olsen said in a letter to parents. "The employee was arrested and will be immediately dismissed from his position."

Police seized the loaded gun and arrested Healy on charges that include possessing a large capacity firearm with a defaced serial number and having high capacity clips without a license to carry -- all on school property. He will be arraigned in Ayer on Wednesday.

Olsen called the incident an "egregious breach of public trust."

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