BOSTON - A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to federal firearms offenses.
Jeffrey Joseph, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license, one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Oct. 23, 2017.
After an investigation into drug and firearms trafficking in the Bunker Hill Housing Authority in Charlestown, Joseph and three others, Samuel Jean, 22, of Everett; Deon Young, 32, of Hyde Park; and Troy Armstrong, 28, of Boston, were arrested on Dec. 1, 2016. According to court documents, during the investigation, a cooperating witness made controlled buys of guns and drugs at the direction of law enforcement. During the controlled purchases, which were recorded on video, Jean and Joseph sold seven firearms to the cooperating witness over a one-month period, including at least one stolen firearm. It is alleged that Young and Armstrong sold the cooperating witness two firearms around the same period, including one firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Jean pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison on March 2, 2017. Armstrong pleaded guilty in May 2017 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6, 2017. Young pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The charge of dealing in firearms without a federal license provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and an otherwise prohibited person in possession of a firearm provide for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Holik, Chief of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
