Defendant Wilson Bonilla Soliveras, 34 years old, of the City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was charged today by Indictment with making a false statement to a federal firearms licensee in the acquisition of a semi-automatic pistol for another person, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
The indictment1 alleges that on March 4, 2016, defendant Soliveras straw purchased a.40 caliber semi-automatic pistol for another person, who was a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from buying firearms. In making the straw purchase, the indictment alleges, Soliveras falsified a record required to be maintained by the federally licensed firearm dealer, falsely certifying, after being warned that doing so was a crime punishable as a felony under federal law, that Soliveras was the actual buyer of the pistol when he knew that he was buying it for the other person. The indictment alleges that on April 1, 2016, the City of Lancaster Police Department recovered the pistol, which was then loaded with one live round of ammunition in the firing chamber and 14 additional live rounds of ammunition in the magazine, from the actual buyer. After the pistol’s seizure, the indictment alleges, defendant Soliveras falsely reported to police that it had previously been stolen from him. If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the City of Lancaster Police Department, and the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric B. Henson.
1An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
