RI man who operated 'ghost gun factory' pleads guilty to federal charges in New York City

Jack Perry, Providence Journal
Updated ·2 min read
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A Rhode Island man who operated a "ghost gun factory" from his Providence home pleaded guilty to charges last week in New York City, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan announced.

Robert Alcantara, 36, conspired to sell more than 100 ghost guns to people in the Dominican Republic, according to Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. "Ghost guns" are purposely made without serial numbers, making them difficult for law-enforcement agencies to trace.

Alcantara pleaded guilty last Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan to conspiracy to traffic firearms and conspiracy to launder money from his firearms trafficking, Williams said in a news release. Alcantara faces up to five years in prison on the firearms charge and up to 20 years on the money-laundering charge.

Law enforcement officials seized these ghost gun kits from Alcantara.
Law enforcement officials seized these ghost gun kits from Alcantara.

More: What are ghost guns? Police say they pose a growing threat in Rhode Island.

Officers stopped Alcantara and found ghost gun kits

Alcantara was charged after police in New York City stopped his car in November 2021 and found some 45 kits to build ghost guns. After initial denials, Alcantara ultimately told authorities he was planning to turn the gun parts into working firearms, and that he had 50 similar ghost guns at his home, according to the indictment, statements made in court, filings and previous Journal reporting.

The U.S. Attorney in Manhattan says Robert Alcantara operated a "ghost gun factory" from his home in Providence, providing this photograph as evidence.
The U.S. Attorney in Manhattan says Robert Alcantara operated a "ghost gun factory" from his home in Providence, providing this photograph as evidence.

Alcantara and an alleged co-conspirator had bought the kits at a gun show in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, and records from Alcantara's cellphone indicated that he had offered to have his mother transport firearms to the Dominican Republic, the Journal previously reported.

“Robert Alcantara built untraceable ghost guns and conspired to sell more than 100 of them to individuals in the Dominican Republic.  Thanks to the work of our law-enforcement partners, his brazen gun trafficking scheme has been stopped," Williams said in the news release.

Alcantara is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 15.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI man who wanted to sell ghost guns in the Dominican Republic pleads guilty