BOSTON - A Lawrence man was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury in Boston of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Benito Rivera, 45, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 9, 2017.
On August 7, 2016, a law enforcement officer stopped Rivera on Route 1 in Lynnfield for operating a motor vehicle with a revoked registration. After being ordered to exit the vehicle, Rivera fled the scene on foot. The foot chase ended when the officer tackled Rivera and the two men rolled onto Route 1. While fleeing, two civilian witnesses saw Rivera throw an object into a nearby backyard. A search of the yard resulted in the seizure of a Hi-Point, Model C9, 9mm pistol and seven rounds of 9mm ammunition. Previously, Rivera had been convicted in a Massachusetts State Court of armed robbery.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Paruti, David G. Tobin, and Nicholas Soivilien of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
