Massachusetts man arrested in firearms purchasing scheme
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — District Attorney General Peter Neronha announced that a Massachusetts man has been charged with illegally purchasing eight assault-style weapons from Rhode Island firearms dealers under a fake residency.
Joshua Rosa-Reyes, 29, is a resident of Fall River, Massachusetts, but is being accused of using a false Pawtucket address to obtain a Rhode Island driver’s license in order to purchase firearms in attempt to curve Massachusetts’ law banning assault weapons.
Neronha shared that Rosa-Reyes allegedly provided his false address on state and federal firearms applications at two licensed firearms dealers in Rhode Island to purchase eight assault-styled weapons.
In August 2023, state and federal investigators executed a search warrant at Rosa-Reyes’ Fall River home and two storage units. Neronha said that federal investigators seized 30 firearms, 46 large capacity magazines, multiple assault weapons, over 100 large capacity feeding devices, thousands of rounds of ammunition, various other gun parts, and $10,000 from his properties.
“We recruited and built our BCI investigative team for just this purpose: to combat illegal trafficking of firearms using our unique regulatory authority over firearms dealers and long-developed expertise in this area,” said Neronha.
Rosa-Reyes was charged with eight counts of providing false information in securing a firearm and one count of providing false statement to fraudulently obtain license or registration.
