Convicted Felon from Worcester Indicted on Firearm Charges

BOSTON – A previously convicted felon has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester for allegedly possessing a firearm and ammunition, and for dealing in firearms without a license.

Onix Aviles, 25, of Worcester, Mass., was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of dealing in firearms without a license. Aviles was arrested and charged in May 2026.

According to the charging documents, on April 16, 2026 and May 1, 2026, Aviles sold ammunition and firearms, including a privately manufactured firearm, without a license to do so.  

Aviles was previously convicted in 2021 of possession with intent to distribute a class B substance, crack cocaine, to which he was sentenced to 90 days in jail. He was also convicted in 2020 of distribution of a class A substance, heroin, for which he was sentenced to 30 days in jail.  

The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the Suffolk County Sherrif’s Department; and the Worcester District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the cases.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.