Mass. Resident Admits to Reselling Stolen Firearms Purchased with Fraudulent Checks

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Edwin William Rosa, 45, of Peabody, Mass., pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence, R.I., today to possession of stolen firearms. Rosa admitted to the court that on several occasions he purchased firearms from registered dealers in Massachusetts using bogus bank checks and then sold the stolen guns to firearms dealers in Rhode Island.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Rosa admitted to the court that between September 8 and September 30, 2015, he used personal checks from closed bank accounts to purchase eight firearms from registered firearms dealers in Massachusetts. Rosa then sold the firearms to registered firearms dealers in Rhode Island for immediate payment in cash or by check.

Rosa’s guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Rosa is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15, 2016.

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

The matter was investigated by ATF, with the assistance of the Smithfield, R.I., and Seekonk, Fall River and Somerset, Mass., Police Departments.

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