Coventry Man Indicted for Allegedly Providing False Information on Federal Firearms Form

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal grand jury in Providence on Thursday returned a two-count indictment charging Bradley Richard Allen, 25, of Coventry, with making false statements on a federal firearms form to a federally licensed firearms dealer. It is alleged in the indictment that Allen, while attempting to purchase a firearm, denied that he was the subject of a domestic violence restraining order issued by the Rhode Island Family Court, when in fact he is.

The indictment, which charges Allen with one count of false statement during the attempted purchase of a firearm and one count of false statement to a federally licensed gun dealer, is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Lawrence J. Panetta, Interim Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

According to court documents, it is alleged that on February 13, 2016, the defendant claimed on an ATF form required to be completed by the purchaser of a firearm that he was not the subject of a protective order. A background investigation by law enforcement revealed that, according to court records, Allen is the subject of a domestic violence restraining order issued by the Rhode Island Family Court on December 1, 2014. The restraining order remains in effect for three years.

According to court records, on March 28, 2016, an ATF agent spoke by telephone with Allen regarding the information he allegedly provided on the ATF form. As a follow-up to that conversation, Allen was scheduled to appear in person at a local ATF office within the next two days to further discuss his claim that he was not subject to a protective order. Allen failed to respond to the ATF office or to contact the agent.

Allen is scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on August 19, 2016.

Making a false statement during an attempted purchase of a firearm is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment; a fine of $250,000; and a 3-year term of supervised release. Making a false statement to a federally licensed gun dealer is punishable by a statutory penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment; a fine of $250,000; and a 3-year term of supervised release.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.

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