A Worcester man, with a past conviction, now faces federal charges after being indicted for possessing a firearm and ammunition. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Gilbert Morin, 39, was charged on the counts of owning a gun and ammunition as a felon—an act which could see him facing up to 15 years in prison.
Reportedly, Morin harbored a Taurus pistol and ammunition on May 30. What complicates Morin's case is his previous conviction of a crime that was punishable by more than a year in prison. After the state court charged Mr. Morin on the same date, he has been held in custody and is currently waiting to make his initial federal court appearance in Worcester at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
The recent indictment is part of a broader crackdown by the Department of Justice dubbed "Operation Take Back America," which aims to comprehensively dismantle illegal immigration influxes, cartel operations, and violent crimes affecting communities. This multi-agency effort includes the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods, striving to combine resources for a more cohesive offense against organized crime.
The Department of Justice is taking a cautious approach to assignment blame until the due process of law is enacted. As the statement reads, "The details contained in the court documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law." While Morin's charges are severe, they yet remain as accusations needing to pass through the judgment of the judicial system before any sentence is to be determined and imposed.
Announcement of Morin's indictment brought together several high-ranking law enforcement officials. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Bryan DiGirolamo, and Chief of Worcester Police Department, Paul Saucier, were all noted in having roles in the case proceedings. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of Worcester Branch Office is handling the prosecution of this case.
