New York City Man Sentenced for Possessing a Handgun with an Obliterated Serial Number

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Steven Gomez, age 23, of Bayside, New York, was sentenced today to 3 years of probation, including 50 hours of community service, for possessing a handgun with an obliterated serial number.

United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Those who unlawfully possess firearms endanger the public and will face criminal consequences. While the Second Amendment is no longer a second-class right, my office will vigorously enforce federal laws criminalizing the possession of certain firearms and the unlawful possession of firearms by prohibited people, to make our communities safer.”

HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan stated: “The possession of a handgun with an obliterated serial number is not just a violation of the law; it poses a significant threat to the safety of our citizens. We remain committed to working tirelessly to ensure that those who engage in such reckless behavior are held accountable. Together, HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York will strive to create a safer environment for all citizens of Northern New York.”

As part of his prior guilty plea, Gomez admitted that on September 8, 2022, in a parking lot of a shopping mall in Albany County, he unlawfully possessed a Glock 17 handgun with an obliterated serial number. 

HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case.