Pavao sped off as the police were called, leading them on wild chase through residential neighborhoods, as he tossed a gun magazine, a backpack with three handguns, and a bulletproof vest. As Pavao sped into busy areas, he crashed into other vehicles and was captured as he tried to run away. The crash impact sent ammunition flying out of his vehicle, but there was plenty more still inside along with loaded guns. Afterward, investigators also found a red duffel bag belonging to Pavao at his girlfriend’s house in Coventry. It was filled with eight long guns and four gun magazines that each held 30 rounds, according to an affidavit supporting an arrest warrant. Prosecutors said four of the guns “were outfitted with an auto sear machine gun conversion device rendering them machine guns.” Pavao was convicted of possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm, which was modified to function as a fully automatic machine gun, with a barrel length of 10 and 5/8 inches, less than the 16 inches required by law. US District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Pavao on June 5 to 30 months of incarceration, followed by three years of federal supervised release. Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly Jr. prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the East Providence police, with assistance from Coventry police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Pavao still faces four felony charges, including drive-by shooting and carrying a gun without a license, and four misdemeanor charges at Providence County Superior Court.
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