Charles Baker, Dealing in Firearms without a License, Massachusetts 2019

Charles Baker, 44, of Charlestown, is behind bars after being nailed on federal charges tied to a string of illegal firearm deals. Authorities say the convicted felon orchestrated a pipeline of guns funneled through a straw buyer in New Hampshire — a scheme that fed the underground gun market until it was shut down in May 2019.

Baker was indicted on one count of dealing in firearms without a license and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was arrested yesterday morning and appeared before Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell. With a detention hearing set for Aug. 25, 2020, prosecutors are pushing to keep him locked up as the case moves forward.

The indictment alleges Baker operated as an unlicensed gun dealer for years, flipping weapons obtained through illicit channels. Due to a prior conviction, he’s legally barred from owning or selling firearms — a restriction he allegedly ignored while running his underground operation. Investigators say the guns were purchased in bulk by a middleman in New Hampshire before being transferred to Baker.

Each count of dealing in firearms without a license carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The felon-in-possession charges are even steeper — up to 10 years per count, with the same financial penalties and supervision terms. A federal judge will determine the final sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.

The takedown falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the DOJ’s high-pressure initiative to dismantle violent crime networks. Spearheaded by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions in 2017, PSN pairs federal, state, and local agencies to target repeat offenders and illegal gun traffickers. This case reflects its renewed focus on choking off the supply of firearms to prohibited individuals.

U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the New England Field Division, announced the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard, assigned to Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, is leading the prosecution. As with all federal cases, Baker is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

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