Lawrence Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Benito Rivera, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 67 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2017, a federal jury convicted Rivera of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Rivera’s federal sentence will begin when he is released from state custody, where he is currently serving a two-year sentence for violating state probation.
On Aug. 7, 2016, a law enforcement officer stopped Rivera in Lynnfield for operating a motor vehicle with a revoked registration. After being ordered to exit the vehicle, Rivera fled the scene on foot. The foot chase ended when the officer tackled Rivera and the two men rolled onto Route 1. Two civilian witnesses saw Rivera throw an object into a nearby backyard as he was fleeing the scene. A search of the yard resulted in the seizure of a Hi-Point, Model C9, 9mm pistol loaded with seven rounds of 9mm ammunition. Previously, Rivera had been convicted in Massachusetts State Court of two counts of armed robbery and cocaine trafficking and in federal court of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Paruti, David G. Tobin, and Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Rivera’s sentence demonstrates the consequences of violating federal and state laws, particularly when it comes to firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, and the Massachusetts State Police worked together to ensure that Rivera was held accountable for his actions.
Benito Rivera is a 45-year-old Lawrence man who was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in September 2017.
Benito Rivera, a Lawrence man, was sentenced to 67 months in prison and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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