A 34-year-old Amsterdam man has pleaded guilty to stealing and possessing firearms, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Onic Martinez, 34, of Amsterdam, New York, admitted to meeting with co-conspirators Omar DeJesus, Christian Roman, and Jose Fontanez in Amsterdam, New York, to transport dozens of stolen firearms from a storage locker in Schenectady, New York to DeJesus’s residence in Amsterdam on October 24, 2017.
As part of his guilty plea, Martinez admitted to driving to Schenectady, retrieving dozens of stolen firearms, and transporting them back to Amsterdam, receiving several of the stolen firearms as payment for his assistance.
Co-conspirator Christian Roman, 24, of Schenectady, was indicted earlier this year on charges that he stole firearms from Target Sports, the federally licensed firearms dealer in Schenectady, on October 22, 2017. Roman is accused of possessing, concealing, and storing the stolen firearms through November 1, 2017.
The charges against Roman are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Judge to Determine Martinez Sentence
At sentencing on January 3, 2019, Martinez faces up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $500,000, and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release.
Others Involved in Gun Theft Ring
Jose Fontanez, 36, of Schenectady, and Omar DeJesus, 31, of Amsterdam, have both pled guilty to their respective roles in the gun theft ring, with sentencing scheduled for December 17, 2018.
Additional defendants, including Dalmary Morales, 37, of Schenectady, and Juan Saez, 35, of Rochester, New York, have also pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2018.
The case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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