Christian Castro, Firearms Theft, Massachusetts 2021

BOSTON, MA – A Connecticut man has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for his role in stealing 17 firearms from a West Springfield gun shop and making false statements to federal agents.

Christian Castro, 31, of New Britain, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release on May 14, 2021, for one count each of theft of a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensee; being a felon in possession of firearm; interstate transportation of a stolen firearm; receipt, possession, concealment, storage, barter, sale, or disposition of a stolen firearm in interstate commerce; and making false statements to a federal official.

Castro and his co-defendant, Fernando Rivera, engaged in a crime spree in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts that included seven ATM thefts or attempted thefts and culminated in the theft of 17 firearms from a federal firearms licensee in West Springfield on or about Aug. 29, 2020.

At the time of his offenses, Castro was on state probation and had two prior convictions in Connecticut for larceny and possessing narcotics with intent to distribute. Castro and Rivera were arrested by federal agents at their homes in Connecticut on Sept. 18, 2020.

During his interview with investigators, Castro admitted to driving to and from several ATM robberies and the gun store robbery, but falsely stated he never received, kept or even touched any of the stolen guns. However, investigators discovered that Castro had received at least one of the stolen firearms and that he and Rivera traveled to New York City to sell at least three others to another felon whom Castro had met in a Connecticut prison.

Castro’s co-defendant, Fernando Rivera, pleaded guilty to similar charges on May 5, 2021, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5, 2021.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police, Springfield, Hadley, West Springfield, New Britain (Conn.) and Middletown (Conn.) Police Departments, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, and Connecticut Judicial Branch Adult Probation.

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