Middleweight titleholder Demetrius Andrade arrested on gun charge

Middleweight world titleholder Demetrius Andrade was arrested Thursday after police said they observed him driving with a handgun in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island.

Andrade (26-0, 16 KO's), 30, who won the WBO middleweight world title on Oct. 20 with a unanimous decision against Walter Kautondokwa, told officers that he carried the firearm for his protection since he is wealthy and famous.

However, according to the Providence Journal, Andrade did not have a permit to carry the Glock 19 that was in a Louis Vuitton bag inside Andrade’s Mercedes.

“There’s no excuse for carrying a gun without a permit,” said Providence Police detective Maj. David Lapatin. “Whether you claim you’re transporting large amounts of money, or your life is in danger, you can make your case to get a permit [to carry a concealed weapon]. But you cannot obtain a gun and carry it in the city of Providence without one.”

Authorities say officers approached Andrade after he was found stopped in his vehicle blocking traffic while talking to a friend. They also claimed that Andrade appeared nervous and kept glancing at a backpack on the floor of his Mercedes. That is where the loaded gun was found with 10 cartridges in the magazine.

Andrade was charged with one count of possession of a firearm without a license. He was arraigned Thursday in District Court and was eventually released on bail.