Providence Man Indicted on Charge of Illegal Possession of a Firearm

BOSTON – A Providence man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Roland S. Morgan, 37, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On March 11, 2021, Morgan was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in Pennsylvania on March 19, 2021. He will make his initial appearance in Boston at a later date.

According to court documents, on Oct. 28, 2020 at approximately 1:00 a.m., a police officer observed a silver Mercedes exiting Interstate 95. The officer noted that the vehicle’s rear license plate was not luminated, a violation of Massachusetts Law. After observing the vehicle make a number of random u-turns, the officer conducted a motor vehicle stop. Morgan was driving the vehicle and was unable to produce a driver’s license. The officer queried Morgan’s identifiers and determined that Morgan had two outstanding arrest warrants issued by Attleboro District Court. Morgan was then removed from his vehicle and booked on the outstanding warrants. 

As alleged in court documents, during a search of Morgan’s vehicle, a loaded .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver, 43 rounds of .38 caliber ammunition, 10 steel tipped arrows, an orange hunting bow, narcotics, a BB gun and a tan body armor vest were recovered.

Morgan is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.

The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to 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 other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Seekonk Police Chief Dean Isabella; and Thomas M. Quinn, Bristol County District Attorney made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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