SPRINGFIELD, MA – Hector Gomez, 33, of Chicopee, is headed to federal prison after a Springfield judge slammed him with a five-year sentence for being a felon illegally packing heat – and that included a machine gun. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni, sends a clear message: convicted felons don’t get to arm themselves.
Gomez pleaded guilty back in February 2020 to being a felon in possession of both firearms and ammunition, as well as possessing an unregistered firearm. But the judge didn’t stop there. Gomez was also hit with an additional 20-month consecutive sentence for violating the terms of his already existing supervised release – a clear indication he wasn’t learning from past mistakes.
The bust went down May 18, 2019, in Chicopee. Cops found Gomez holding a Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle, an Arsenal 7.62 mm rifle, and a hefty cache of ammunition: 14 rounds of 9 mm, 28 rounds of 5.56 mm, and a substantial 60 rounds of 7.62 mm. The problem? Gomez already had a criminal record that barred him from owning any of it. A prior conviction carrying a year or more in prison automatically disqualifies someone from possessing firearms and ammo.
This wasn’t Gomez’s first rodeo with the law. He was already on supervised release at the time of the gun seizure, stemming from a 2015 federal conviction for distributing and possessing heroin with intent to distribute. Apparently, a drug conviction wasn’t enough of a deterrent. The man just kept escalating.
U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, alongside Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division, and Chicopee Police Chief William R. Jebb, announced the sentencing today. They made it clear this case highlights the dangers of letting convicted criminals have access to weapons.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse, operating out of Lelling’s Springfield Office, prosecuted the case, building a solid case against Gomez. The five-year sentence, combined with the additional time for violating supervised release, should keep Gomez off the streets – and away from firearms – for a considerable stretch. It’s a win for the public, and a warning to anyone else thinking of illegally arming themselves after a felony conviction.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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