Department of Justice

BOSTON – A Holyoke man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to illegally possessing an AM-15 rifle and ammunition.

 

Akeem Castro, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Aug. 8, 2019. Castro was arrested and charged in January 2018 and has been in custody since.

 

On March 7, 2017, Castro possessed an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 assault-style rifle and 34 rounds of ammunition. Castro is prohibited from owning a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. Castro admitted that, on that date, he sold the firearm for $1,800 to a government witness in a parking lot in Chicopee.  

 

The charge provides for sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Acting Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; and Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo made the announcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.