BOSTON — The grimy streets of Charlestown have been stripped of another gun kingpin. Charles Baker, 45, a Charlestown resident, was sentenced today to 37 months behind bars for trafficking more than three dozen firearms and being a felon in possession of multiple firearms.
In a gritty turn of events that shook the local community, Baker pleaded guilty on June 16, 2021, to dealing in firearms without a license and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. His reign as a gun trafficker spanned from August 2018 to May 2019.
With a conniving strategy that started in New Hampshire and ended up on the streets of Massachusetts, Baker acquired over 36 firearms through a straw purchaser. He then resold these weapons to individuals in the Bay State, negotiating deals over text message. Law enforcement recovered many of these firearms from gang members and prohibited persons, further fueling local violence.
The grim details were laid out in court when it was revealed that Baker possessed certain firearms in Massachusetts, leading to his conviction for specifically possessing multiple firearms that were later trafficked. His prior convictions made him prohibited from possessing firearms, yet he operated without a federal license to sell them.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New England Field Division, announced the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case with relentless vigor.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a collaborative effort aimed at reducing violent crime by bringing together all levels of law enforcement and communities. Reinvigorated in 2017 by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, PSN targets violent criminals and enhances public safety.
Related Federal Cases
- Charlestown Gun King Sentenced to 37 Months · Massachusetts
- Bay State Gun Builder Gets 70-Month Sentence · Massachusetts
- Springfield Straw-Purchaser Sentenced for Firearms, Bank Robbery · Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Man Gets Over 5 Years for Gun Smuggling in NH · Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Gun Smuggler Gets Over Five Years for Arms Trafficking · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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