Rafael ‘Raphy’ Pina-Nieves, Firearms Violations, Puerto Rico 2021

State: Puerto Rico
Category: Weapons
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/rafael-raphy-pina-sentenced-41-months-prison" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Puerto Rican man has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for violating firearms laws. Rafael ‘Raphy’ Pina-Nieves (45, Puerto Rico) was found guilty by a federal jury on December 22, 2021, of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and a machine gun.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Pina-Nieves knowingly possessed: one Glock pistol, Model 19, 9mm caliber; one Smith & Wesson, Model SD40, .40 caliber, and 526 total rounds of live ammunition, including 148 rounds of .40 caliber handgun ammunition, 123 rounds of .357 caliber handgun ammunition, 3 rounds of .45 caliber handgun ammunition, 170 rounds of .25 caliber handgun ammunition, 3 rounds of 5.7 caliber handgun ammunition, 35 rounds of 7.62 caliber rifle ammunition, 18 rounds of 7.92 caliber rifle ammunition, 1 round of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition, and 25 rounds of 9mm caliber handgun ammunition.

The Glock pistol, Model 19, 9mm caliber possessed by Pina-Nieves was a machine gun, as it was modified to shoot more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.

Pina-Nieves was sentenced to 41 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, 200 hours of community service, and a fine of $150,000. This sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Francisco A. Besosa on [no date given].

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico, Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, and Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-C.I. made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, were in charge of the investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys María L. Montañez-Concepción and José Ruiz-Santiago prosecuted the case.

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