Rafael da Silva, Selling Firearms Without a License and Making False Statements, Massachusetts 2024

BOSTON, MA – Rafael da Silva, a 32-year-old Brazilian national, has been sentenced to four years in prison for selling 11 firearms, including one equipped with a large capacity magazine and another with an obliterated serial number.

The sentence was handed down yesterday in federal court in Boston, Massachusetts, after da Silva pleaded guilty to charges of selling firearms without a license and making false statements during the purchase of firearms.

According to court documents, da Silva sold the firearms to multiple buyers between 2019 and 2022, including some who had previously been convicted of crimes and were prohibited from possessing firearms.

Da Silva’s scheme involved selling the firearms at inflated prices, with some buyers paying as much as $1,000 for a single handgun. He also attempted to conceal the true nature of his business by using fake names and addresses on the sale documents.

The case against da Silva was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Boston Police Department.

“This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can profit from selling firearms without a license,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Rachael S. Rollins. “We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe from the scourge of firearms trafficking.”

Da Silva is expected to begin serving his sentence immediately. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and forfeit the firearms involved in the scheme.

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