Friday, March 23, 2018

Holyoke Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearms Possession


BOSTON – A Holyoke man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for illegally possessing firearms.

Francisco Figueroa, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 35 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In June 2016, Figueroa pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. In November 2015, Figueroa and his co-defendant, Eric Lopez, were arrested and charged.

Figueroa and Lopez were arrested as part of an investigation into firearms and narcotics trafficking by members of the Springfield and Holyoke chapters of the Latin Kings. In total, 11 members and leaders were arrested as part of the investigation.

Figueroa is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior criminal conviction. On Nov. 12, 2014, Figueroa possessed a Zastava, model SKS (M59/66A1), 7.62mm rifle and a CZ, model CZ527M Carbine, 7.62mm rifle.

In June 2016, Lopez pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms and ammunition. He was sentenced on March 15, 2018, to 114 months in prison.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

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