Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Worcester resident, Gilbert Morin, 39, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman, who set sentencing for April 23, 2026. Morin had been indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025.
The incident leading to the charges occurred on May 30, 2025. Police responded to a report about an individual with a firearm outside a downtown nightclub in Worcester. After not locating the person at the scene, officers saw someone nearby appearing to conceal something in his hand. When approached by police, Morin attempted to flee on foot through Worcester Common behind City Hall but was apprehended. Officers found him carrying a loaded Taurus pistol. At the time of his arrest, Morin had previously been convicted of an offense punishable by more than one year in prison and has remained in custody since being charged that day.
According to federal law, the charge against Morin carries potential penalties of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing decisions are made by federal district judges based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the plea along with Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for Boston Field Division; and Paul Saucier, Chief of the Worcester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown from the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Boston Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative led jointly by the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security as established under Executive Order 14159 signed during President Trump’s administration.
"Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime," according to information released today.
The operation integrates resources from programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
