A former Army Reservist has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for stealing weapons from a U.S. Army Reserve facility, escaping from federal prison, and attempting to rob two banks.
James W. Morales, 37, of Cambridge, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 138 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Morales pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm; one count of possession of a machine gun; one count of possession of stolen firearms; one count of theft of government property; one count of conspiracy to possess, store, conceal, and sell stolen weapons; one count of escape; and two counts of attempted bank robbery.
On Nov. 14, 2015, Morales broke into a weapons vault at the Lincoln Stoddard United States Army Reserve Center in Worcester and stole six M-4 Carbines and 10 M-11 handguns. Morales was familiar with the layout of the facility, having been stationed there prior to his discharge from the Army Reserve.
Morales gained access to the weapons by breaking a kitchen window located near the room that contained the vault, climbing to the top of the vault, and cutting a hole through its ceiling. The sharp edges of the ceiling caused Morales to cut himself, leaving behind DNA, which was matched to Morales three days after the robbery.
After the robbery, Morales rented another vehicle, and GPS data from the vehicle showed that Morales had travelled to New York City, where he was located and arrested on Nov. 18, 2015, in Long Island. Inside his vehicle, four M-4 Carbines and two M-11 handguns were recovered with serial numbers matching those stolen from the Armory.
Morales escaped from the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, R.I. on Dec. 31, 2016, by climbing a basketball hoop, jumping onto a roof, and going through a barbed wire fence. He was later captured on surveillance video attempting to rob two banks in Cambridge and Somerville, but was unable to obtain any money.
Morales was sentenced to 138 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He will serve his time at a federal correctional institution.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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