Worcester Man Indicted On Federal Firearms Charge

WORCESTER, MA—A Worcester man was indicted on Thursday in federal court in Worcester on a federal firearms charge.

Steven Rivera, 24, was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition. Rivera was arrested on June 29, 2017, as part of a coordinated federal and state sweep that resulted in the arrests of eight others who have been charged with firearms-related offenses, said the U.S. Attorney-District of Massachusetts.

The DA said that according to court documents, Rivera – who has multiple prior felony convictions, including drug-related offenses – sold two handguns and numerous rounds of ammunition to a person in Worcester on Feb. 14, 2017. On Feb. 28, 2017, Rivera sold that same recipient two more handguns and numerous rounds of ammunition, and during a recorded phone call, Rivera offered to sell that person heroin, as well.

Eight others were arrested on state charges as part of an investigation into gun and narcotics trafficking in the Worcester area. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement purchased nine guns from nine defendants, including several handguns, two shotguns, and an assault rifle with a 100-round capacity drum magazine; multiple rounds of ammunition; and narcotics. Law enforcement seized several more guns during the June 29, 2017, sweep.

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