A Worcester man, previously indicted on firearm offenses, has received a sentence exceeding six years for charges that include drug distribution and possession of a machinegun. Jose Rivera, 24, stood before U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman on Friday, June 28, 2024, and was handed down 75 months in federal prison followed by a three-year supervised release, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In April of 2024, Rivera plead guilty to a series of charges, including the possession of a converted machinegun, and possession of cocaine with intent to surely distribute. A search executed on March 7, 2023, at Rivera's residence led to the discovery of three Glock switches, a device that transforms semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons - classified as machineguns under federal law. Authorities also found ammunition, a loaded Glock .40 caliber firearm equipped with one of these switches, high-capacity magazines, cocaine, distribution paraphernalia, and a sum of $9,000 in cash.

The investigation, which led to Rivera's sentencing, was a joint effort between federal and local law enforcement. It was spearheaded by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, James M. Ferguson, who serves as the Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division, and Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier. With Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown from the Worcester Branch Office taking the lead in prosecution, the case represents a broader initiative to tackle firearm-related crime and drug trafficking.

The sentencing centers around the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed to unite law enforcement and communities in an effort to reduce violent crimes. Announced by authorities, PSN has sought to adapt a violent crime reduction strategy since May 26, 2021, aiming to build and to maintain trust within communities, support organizations preventing violence preemptively, enforce strategically targeted priorities, and assess the outcomes of these measures.