BOSTON – In a shocking display of brazen disregard for the law, a Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Worcester has been sentenced to prison for selling firearms without a license.
Joao Vitor Dos Santos Goncalves Pimenta, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns to 27 months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence.
The charges against Goncalves Pimenta stem from a disturbing revelation that between July and September 2024, the defendant sold 14 firearms without the required license in exchange for cash. The illicit transaction included pistols and AR-15-style rifles, as well as large capacity magazines.
Goncalves Pimenta, a Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Worcester, was sentenced to 27 months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence.
According to court documents, Goncalves Pimenta pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license in August 2025.
The investigation into Goncalves Pimenta’s firearms sales was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The Massachusetts State Police and the Revere Police Department also provided valuable assistance in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Crowley and John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Mandatory Facts: Defendant/Respondent: Joao Vitor Dos Santos Goncalves Pimenta, Criminal Charges: Engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, City and State: Worcester, Massachusetts, Exact Date: August 2025, Sentence or Outcome: 27 months in prison, Deportation upon completion of sentence.
Related Federal Cases
- Alason Ferreira-Peixoto, Selling Firearms Without a License, Massachusetts 2025 · Alabama
- Luis Fernando de Souza, Selling Firearms without a License and Making False Statements, Massachusetts 2023 · Alabama
- Samuel Jean, Dealing in Firearms without a Federal License, Massachusetts 2016 · Connecticut
- Charles A. Slayden Jr., Conspiracy to Deal Firearms Without a License, Massachusetts 2020 · Connecticut
- Charles Baker, Dealing in Firearms without a License, Massachusetts 2019 · New Hampshire
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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