A Fall River man's arsenal, including assault weapons and a ghost gun, is no longer on the streets thanks to Massachusetts law enforcement's crackdown. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced yesterday that Joshua Rosa-Reyes, 29, faces multiple firearm charges after a coordinated operation led to the confiscation of his sizable collection of illegal weapons.
According to a press release from the Attorney General's Office, Rosa-Reyes was first stripped of his License to Carry in August. Consequently, to adhere to an order to surrender all firearms, he gave up 30 firearms, which included 16 assault weapons and an assortment of ammunition and magazines. Among the seized wares were 46 large-capacity magazines and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
"I am deeply proud of the work conducted by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the partnership of other state and federal law enforcement agencies in this case," AG Campbell was quoted in the press release. "When assault weapons and large-capacity magazines are off the streets, our communities are safer, and the public is better protected from the harms of gun violence."
Investigations continued to unravel more of Rosa-Reyes' prohibited possessions. A warranted search of his residence turned up more large capacity magazines, ammunition, and the find that would lead authorities to a rental storage locker harboring an AK-47, a .357 Magnum revolver, and various firearm parts. Another locker nearby was soon to reveal a hidden Glock-style ghost gun and a stash of $10,000 cash, swiftly enveloped in evidence.
The bust underscores AG Campbell's commitment to staunching gun violence through strict enforcement of gun laws. Partnering earlier this year with Senator Michael Moore, AG Campbell sought to extend such legislation to ban the possession and use of gun silencers. On the frontline against ghost guns, she has pushed for more rigorous regulations and increased enforcement to handle these untraceable weapons. This is alongside her announcement of the Gun Violence Prevention Unit, which intensifies the Commonwealth's focus on gun violence by advocating smarter gun laws and tackling issues such as the prevalent ghost guns and assault weapons.
Assistant Attorney General William Aiello of AG Campbell’s Enterprise and Major Crimes Division is handling the prosecution of the case. The charges against Rosa-Reyes are the product of a team effort including the Massachusetts State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, Fall River Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ATF, the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
