Fall River man accused of faking RI residency to buy high-powered rifles

Mark Reynolds, Providence Journal
Updated ·2 min read
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A Massachusetts man posed as a Rhode Islander in a bid to buy eight assault-style weapons, according to Attorney General Peter F. Neronha's office.

The 29-year-old Fall River man misrepresented himself as a Pawtucket resident, providing a false address to obtain a Rhode Island driver's license, prosecutors said Thursday.

He then misrepresented his residency on applications that he submitted to Rhode Island firearms dealers, says a news release from the Attorney General's Office.

Prosecutors say the man's activities earlier this year drew scrutiny from state and federal criminal investigators who raided his Fall River home in August and also searched two Massachusetts storage units.

Arsenal discovered in man's home

The searches found an arsenal of weapons, say prosecutors.

At the man's home, they say, the investigators found 30 guns, including 16 assault-style weapons, 46 large-capacity magazines and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Some of the guns had been bought in Rhode Island, they say.

At the storage units, they say, searches led to the seizure of an AK-47, a Glock-style ghost gun, a .357 Magnum revolver, ammunition and over one hundred large capacity feeding devices.

The investigators also seized other gun parts and three lower receivers, which are firearms under the law, and $10,000 in cash, prosecutors say.

Some these weapons were seized during investigations into the activities of a Fall River man, according to prosecutors from the office of Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.
Some these weapons were seized during investigations into the activities of a Fall River man, according to prosecutors from the office of Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.

The man is charged with eight counts of providing false information to secure a firearm and one count of making a false statement to fraudulently obtain a license or registration.

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He was arraigned Dec. 13 in District Court, Newport.

Neronha said the man hadn't been able to purchase an assault weapon in neighboring Massachusetts due to a ban. He praised the work of his office's criminal investigators and thanked Massachusetts authorities and local firearms dealers for their assistance in the case.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Prosecutors: Man poses as Rhode Islander; investigators find AK-47