Gun Dealer Ends Illegal Sales, Paying $10,000 In Fines

WORCESTER COUNTY, MA — A gun dealer who was illegally operating from his home in Sutton has agreed to surrender his license to sell firearms in Massachusetts, Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Wednesday.

According to the assurance of discontinuance, filed Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court, Anthony Martinello and his business Martinello Quality Firearms sold Glock handguns without load indicators or magazine safety disconnects as required by state handgun safety regulations, said the release. In violation of state law, Martinello also used his home as his permanent place of business for conducting gun sales and transactions.

“In Massachusetts, we have the benefit of strong state laws to help law-abiding gun dealers in keeping the public safe, and we rely on gun dealers to ensure responsible gun ownership,” said AG Healey in a statement.

The AG’s investigation found that the transactions occurred between January 2014 and April 2016. The illegal Glock handguns were sold to consumers who had not identified themselves as verified law enforcement officers.

Under the terms of the settlement, Martinello has agreed not to seek a license to sell, rent or lease firearms, handguns, rifles and shotguns issued for a period of three years. He will also pay $10,000 to the Commonwealth for fees and costs associated with the investigation.

Last July, AG Healey issued a notice to gun manufacturers and licensed dealers in Massachusetts, warning that her office is stepping up enforcement of the state’s assault weapons ban, including a crackdown on new sales of copycat weapons. Since then, illegal sales of assault weapons have stopped in the state, according to the announcement.

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