Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Brazilian national living unlawfully in Milford, Massachusetts, was charged on May 1 with engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. The defendant, Caua Da Silva, age 21, allegedly sold firearms—including a ghost gun—to a confidential informant.
According to charging documents, an investigation into Da Silva began in July 2025 as he was suspected of illegal firearm sales within the state. Authorities determined that Da Silva is not lawfully present in the United States. Between November 2025 and April 21, 2026, Da Silva allegedly sold firearms to a confidential informant on several occasions. One of these transactions involved a privately manufactured firearm known as a ghost gun.
The charge carries potential penalties of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. If convicted and sentenced, Da Silva would be subject to deportation upon completion of any imposed sentence. Sentencing decisions are made by federal district court judges according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said: "Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Massachusetts State Police, the Milford Police Department, Worcester Police Department, Marlborough Police Department and the Hudson Police Department." Foley also announced that Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the Boston Homeland Security Task Force under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative led jointly by the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security targeting illegal immigration and violent crime perpetrators through coordinated resources from multiple agencies.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts advances community initiatives on civil rights and violence prevention according to the official website. The office maintains facilities at the John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse in Boston along with branch offices in Springfield and Worcester according to its official website. It serves all residents across Massachusetts as part of its role within the United States Department of Justice according to its official website.
Employing over 200 attorneys and staff members according to its official website, it enforces federal laws through prosecutions involving national security threats and civil rights violations according to its official website. The office has handled both criminal prosecutions and civil litigation since being established as one of America's earliest such entities dating back to 1789 according to its official website.
Authorities remind that all details contained within charging documents are allegations; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
