Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Brazilian national residing unlawfully in Marlborough has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for firearms trafficking. Guilherme Fernandes-Tavares, 31, faces one count of dealing firearms without a license and is set to be arraigned in federal court on July 30, 2025. He was initially charged by criminal complaint on March 7, 2025.
The charging documents allege that between December 2023 and May 2024, Fernandes-Tavares sold 11 firearms and ammunition over ten different dates. The firearms included pistols, some privately manufactured without serial numbers, and one with an obliterated serial number. One firearm was reportedly sold with a large capacity magazine capable of holding 28 rounds. Additionally, a package from Florida intended for Fernandes-Tavares was intercepted and allegedly contained another firearm.
The charge of dealing firearms without a license carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives' Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston. Assistance came from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Westborough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that these details are allegations at this stage, as Fernandes-Tavares is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
