Worcester Man Charged with Machinegun Possession

A Worcester man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two firearms charges.

José Rivera, 24, was charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun and receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a felony.

According to the charging documents, during a search of Rivera’s Worcester residence on March 7, 2023, three Glock switches – including one attached to a Glock .40 caliber firearm were recovered.

Glock switches convert semi-automatic Glock pistols into fully automatic machine guns and are considered machine guns under federal law.

The indictment alleges that Rivera received the Glock .40 caliber firearm at some point on or after Oct. 9, 2021, while he was under indictment in state court for a felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of over a year.

The charge of unlawful possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

The charge of receipt of a firearm while under felony indictment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Defendant Name: José Rivera

Criminal Charges: Unlawful possession of a machine gun and receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a felony

City and State: Worcester, Massachusetts

Date: March 7, 2023

Sentence or Outcome: Currently pending indictment

Dollar Amounts: Up to $250,000 fine

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