Lucas Soriano, Possession of Firearms, Rhode Island 2023

PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man with a violent past is off the streets after receiving a two-year federal prison sentence for illegally possessing firearms, including untraceable “ghost guns,” and deliberately misleading a licensed gun dealer. Lucas Soriano, 41, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, bringing a close to a case highlighting the growing threat of privately made firearms.

The case against Soriano began to unfold last November, sparked by a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Investigators were tracking individuals using the mail to obtain firearm parts – specifically, the components needed to build ghost guns, firearms assembled from kits without serial numbers, making them virtually impossible to trace. Shipments were routinely delivered to Soriano’s mother’s address.

A search of Soriano’s residence turned up a disturbing cache: three fully assembled ghost guns, a 9mm handgun, and over 400 rounds of ammunition. But the illegal possession wasn’t the only charge. Investigators discovered that Soriano had attempted to purchase a firearm from a Rhode Island dealer in June 2022, knowingly lying on the required ATF forms. He falsely claimed he had no prior convictions, a blatant deception considering his criminal history.

Records reveal Soriano was previously convicted in New York on charges of armed robbery with a deadly weapon and criminal possession of a loaded firearm. This history explicitly prohibited him from legally owning any firearms. Despite this, he actively sought to arm himself, utilizing loopholes to acquire untraceable weapons and attempting to circumvent the law with false statements.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron prosecuted the case, securing the two-year sentence and a subsequent three years of federal supervised release. The prosecution framed the case within the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and communities.

This sentencing serves as a stark reminder that those with a history of violence who attempt to illegally obtain firearms will face federal prosecution. The proliferation of ghost guns continues to be a major concern for law enforcement, and the ATF is actively working to disrupt the supply chain and hold accountable those who exploit these loopholes. Soriano’s attempt to evade the law ultimately failed, and he will now spend time behind bars for his dangerous actions.

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