Christian Roman, Firearms Theft, New York 2019

A brazen heist in Schenectady County has led to a guilty plea. Christian Roman, a 24-year-old from Schenectady, New York, has admitted to stealing dozens of firearms from Target Sports, Inc., a federally licensed firearms dealer in Schenectady County.

According to court documents, Roman broke into Target Sports on the night of October 22, 2017, while the store was closed. With the help of Jose Fontanez, Roman stole dozens of firearms, including pistols, shotguns, and rifles. The stolen firearms were then moved between various locations in Schenectady and Amsterdam, New York, and eventually transported to Rochester, New York.

Roman’s guilty plea comes after a lengthy investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, and the Glenville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.

As part of his guilty plea, Roman faces up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $500,000, and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. Roman is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2019, in Syracuse.

This is not the first guilty plea in the case. Jose Fontanez, a 36-year-old from Schenectady, New York, previously pleaded guilty to stealing the firearms and other related charges. Fontanez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2019.

Others involved in the case have also pleaded guilty, including Omar DeJesus, Dalmary Morales, and Juan Saez. DeJesus is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2018, while Morales and Saez are scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2019.

The case highlights the importance of law enforcement working together to combat violent crime. The Schenectady County community can rest a little easier knowing that those responsible for the theft of firearms have been held accountable.

The mandatory facts in this case include:

Defendant: Christian Roman
Criminal charges: Stealing firearms from Target Sports, Inc.
City and state: Schenectady, New York
Exact date: October 22, 2017
Sentence or outcome: Up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $500,000, and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release

We will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.