Boston Duo Admits Army Weapons Heist & Sale

BOSTON – A Dorchester couple has confessed to their role in a brazen scheme to peddle stolen military-grade weapons pilfered from the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Worcester. Tyrone James, 29, and Ashlee Bigsbee, 27, both of Dorchester, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to a slew of federal charges, including conspiracy, possession of stolen firearms, and lying to investigators. This case rips the lid off a dangerous intersection of theft, illegal arms dealing, and blatant dishonesty.

The chaos began on November 14, 2015, when co-defendant James Morales allegedly broke into the Lincoln Stoddard United States Army Reserve Center on Lake Avenue North in Worcester. Morales made off with a disturbing arsenal: six M-4 Carbines and ten M-11 handguns. He was apprehended just days later in Long Island, N.Y., with four M-4s and two M-11s stuffed inside his vehicle. A fifth M-4 and two more handguns were later recovered thanks to a concerned New York City citizen. Morales, under questioning, quickly pointed the finger at Bigsbee and James, claiming they were his accomplices in fencing the stolen goods.

According to court documents, the day after the robbery, Morales paid a visit to James and Bigsbee’s Dorchester home, laying out a plan to help him unload the stolen firearms. The pair readily agreed. They wasted no time, firing off text messages to a network of contacts, offering the weapons at prices far below market value. Investigators uncovered damning evidence on their phones – photos of the stolen M-4 Carbines and M-11 handguns brazenly displayed on their kitchen table, Bigsbee posing with a handgun, and weapons casually strewn across their bed. On November 15, 2015, the couple facilitated several sales directly from their apartment.

Their reward for the illegal hustle? One of the stolen M-4 Carbines. James and Bigsbee, attempting to distance themselves from the firearms, stashed the weapon in a duffel bag and handed it off to an acquaintance on Kingsdale Street in Dorchester, asking them to hold it. But the feds were closing in. During an interview on November 20, 2015, both Bigsbee and James lied about their involvement in the sales. Bigsbee, facing mounting pressure, ultimately directed authorities to the duffel bag, recovering the final M-4 Carbine from the sidewalk.

The M-4 Carbine, a military weapon capable of unleashing a three-bullet burst with each trigger pull, is classified as a machine gun under federal law, significantly escalating the severity of the charges. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman has scheduled sentencing for Tyrone James on March 16, 2017, and Ashlee Bigsbee on March 15, 2017. They each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for charges like felon in possession, possession of a machinegun, and possession of stolen weapons. Conspiracy and false statements carry a potential five-year sentence, also with supervised release and a $250,000 fine. While these are the maximums, actual sentences are determined by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the judge’s discretion.

The case was prosecuted by United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, with crucial assistance from Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. This investigation serves as a stark reminder of the relentless flow of illegal firearms and the dedication of law enforcement to dismantle these dangerous operations. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as sentencing approaches and will provide updates on any further developments.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Weapons

Sheldon LaPointe, Possession of Stolen Firearm, South Dakota 2024

Jun 22, 2015

Weapons

Shavarius Smith, Possession of Ammunition by a Felon, Connecticut 2022

Apr 9, 2026

Weapons

Sergei Zharnovnikov, Conspiring to Export Firearms, New York 2023

Jun 25, 2025

Weapons

Darren Ruffin, Illegal Firearm Possession, Louisiana 2017

Feb 9, 2018