BOSTON - A Boston woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Bianca Blanchard, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya Zobel scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2022. Blanchard was charged in August 2019.
Blanchard was arrested in May 2019 after law enforcement determined that she had fired a bullet in the direction of a moving vehicle on a residential street in Dorchester, which led to a retaliatory shooting. A search of Blanchard’s residence resulted in the recovery of a Ruger.380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and an extended magazine containing 12 rounds of.380 caliber ammunition. Due to a prior conviction, Blanchard is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 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 Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
