Tyreek Hall, Possessing Illegal Ammunition, Massachusetts 2022

BOSTON, MA – Tyreek Hall, 21, of Boston, is headed back to prison after a federal judge slapped him with a 46-month sentence for possessing illegal ammunition. Hall, barely a week out of state custody on parole, was caught with a privately made, unserialized 9x19mm Glock-style pistol – a so-called “ghost gun” – and eight rounds of ammunition on June 9, 2022.

The bust originated with a careless social media post. In June 2022, Hall brazenly displayed a firearm online, a clear violation of his parole conditions and federal law. As a convicted felon, Hall is explicitly prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition due to a prior conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon – a firearm – in state court. This wasn’t a case of a first-time mistake; Hall was already under scrutiny.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani handed down the 46-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence sends a clear message that illegally possessing firearms and ammo, especially after a violent conviction, won’t be tolerated in Massachusetts. The case underscores the revolving door problem plaguing the criminal justice system, where offenders are quickly back on the streets and re-offending.

Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, working alongside the U.S. Marshals Service and the Boston Police Department. The investigation highlighted the increasing prevalence of “ghost guns” – firearms assembled from kits without serial numbers, making them difficult to trace and often favored by criminals. The ATF’s Boston Field Division has been actively targeting these weapons in recent years.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy emphasized that this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a broader initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. PSN focuses on building trust with communities, supporting local anti-violence organizations, and strategically prioritizing enforcement efforts. But critics argue PSN is largely symbolic without addressing the root causes of crime.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Dawley and Fred Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit successfully prosecuted the case. The feds are hoping this conviction will deter others from flouting gun laws, but on the streets of Boston, many see it as just another name added to a long list of incarcerated individuals, with little impact on the overall flow of illegal firearms. The question remains: will this sentence truly make Boston any safer?

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Weapons

Martin Alvarez-Moreno, Illegal Firearm Possession, Florida 2014

Mar 12, 2015

Weapons

Robert J. Shubert, Sr., Arms Export Violation, Georgia 2014

Feb 19, 2015

Weapons

Jahquel Pringle, Conspiracy to Illegally Transport Firearms, Massachusetts 2020

Apr 8, 2026

Weapons

Devine Kun, Possession of Stolen Firearm, Alabama 2015

Sep 25, 2015