CONCORD – Ariel Toribio, 22, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to aiding and abetting the making of a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on five separate occasions in November and December 2019, Toribio’s co-defendant, Samantha Sicard, purchased 11 firearms for Toribio and others. Toribio solicited Sicard to buy the firearms, instructed her about which firearms to purchase and paid for the firearms. Toribio traveled with Sicard to a federally licensed firearms dealer where she would fill out the necessary paperwork and falsely state she was the actual purchaser of the firearms when she was in fact purchasing them for Toribio and others.
Toribio is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2022. Charges against Sicard remain pending.
“By arranging for another person to buy guns for himself and others, this defendant committed a significant federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “In order to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, we work closely with the ATF and other law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who unlawfully obtain firearms.”
“Firearms trafficking remains ATF’s top priority and this investigation is another example of how through the use of a straw purchaser, firearms are trafficked and end up in the hands of criminals. This case should send a clear message to straw purchasers of firearms, if you are thinking about buying a gun for someone other than yourself, you better think again.” Said James M. Ferguson, ATF Special Agent in Charge, Boston Field Division. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively pursue and arrest anyone who had a role in putting guns onto the streets and into the hands of individuals who cannot legally purchase them”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Walsh.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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