Brian McCarthy, Firearm Trafficking, Massachusetts 2021

BOSTON, MA – In a shocking crackdown on illicit firearm sales, a Connecticut man has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for his involvement in selling two ‘ghost guns’ in Massachusetts. The defendant, Brian McCarthy, 33, of Bridgeport, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release.

The crimes date back to June 17 and July 31, 2020, when McCarthy travelled to Massachusetts and sold an undercover officer two Glock-style Privately Made Firearms (PMF) he had personally fabricated. PMFs are firearms that are not made by firearm manufacturers, instead, firearm manufacturers sell individual buyers firearm parts, and the buyer uses various firearm drilling tools to construct and assemble the parts into a functional firearm.

McCarthy was taken into custody following the sale, and a subsequent search of his apartment resulted in the seizure of two additional Glock-style PMFs, one AR15/M4-type rifle upper receiver, accessories for AR15/M4 rifles, multiple semi-automatic magazines, approximately 250 rounds of ammunition and various firearm construction and assembly tools.

McCarthy pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a federal license on May 14, 2021. The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The sentence was handed down by Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, while the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III made the announcement today.

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