ROCKPORT — A Rockport man arrested nearly two years ago by Rockport police on a litany of firearms charges, including possession of a hand-held "rocket launcher," has now been indicted in Gloucester District Court.
James Atkinson of 31R Broadway was indicted on 16 charges, including several charges of possessing firearms and ammunition without a license, illegally having Class E prescription drugs, and possessing high-capacity firearms — among them an M109 rocket launcher.
Rockport police arrested Atkinson on Dec. 6, 2009, after they found firearms he wasn't licensed to have in his Broadway home, according to the incident report.
Judge Joseph Jennings handled the indictment last week, and the matter will head to Superior Court in the coming months, officials said Tuesday. Atkinson is once again free after posting $3,500 bail. He could not be reached Tuesday for comment.
Atkinson, 46, an emergency medical technician who was working part-time at the time of his arrests with Rockport Ambulance, is listed as owner of a counter-surveillance and technical security firm, Granite Island Group, based in Gloucester.
Rockport police first arrested him Dec. 1, 2009, on larceny charges after he allegedly failed to deliver more than $32,000 in surveillance equipment to a Swiss company. He faces similar charges from a Chinese company as well.
He'll head to trial on those charges on Dec. 6, in Gloucester District Court, according to the clerk's office.
Meanwhile, last June, Atkinson filed a 653-page lawsuit against the town, Rockport Police, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and scores of institutions and individuals.
His lawsuit asks for, among other things, $175 million from the town. He has said the town violated his civil rights by entering his home and confiscating his firearms. He had said he had permits for the hardware, or that the Constitution allows him to own them.
After his first arrest, according to an incident report filed by Officer Michael Marino, Atkinson said he had turned over all his firearms when his license to carry was suspended. But while he had turned over several guns and ammunition to them, according to police, there were other guns he hadn't turned in.
Officers, according to Marino's report, then searched his house and found a host of other weapons, including the rocket launcher.
Atkinson's initial arrest came after Gaz Turbine Services contacted the offices of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce to report that Atkinson's company Granite Island Group, hadn't supplied it with more than $32,000 worth of counter-surveillance equipment, according to a report written by Officer Daniel Mahoney.
Akinson's affidavit states that he could not supply the company with the materials because the firm didn't supply him with proper export documents. Atkinson, according to Mahoney's report, said he notified U.S. Customs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. When Mahoney spoke to an FBI agent, however, that agent said Atkinson had not contacted the agency.
Mahoney arrested Atkinson on charges of obstruction of justice and larceny after that incident. He faces subsequent charges after a Chinese company, TMDK, told police Atkinson had not delivered some $15,000 worth of surveillance equipment that it had purchased and paid for as well.
Steven Fletcher may be contacted at 1-978-283-7000 x3455, or sfletcher@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stevengdt.
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