Trinitarios Gang Member Arrested For Selling Fentanyl, Firearms, And Machine Gun Conversion Devices

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, announced today the arrest of WILVYN ANTONIO ROSARIO MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Anthony,” a self-proclaimed member of the Trinitarios street gang.  ROSARIO MARTINEZ is charged with, among other things, conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing, in connection with that conspiracy, numerous firearms, including an untraceable firearm and several devices that operated to convert the untraceable firearm into a machine gun capable of automatically shooting more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.  ROSARIO MARTINEZ was presented yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the District of Massachusetts.

“As alleged, Rosario Martinez traveled from Massachusetts to New York to deal highly dangerous drugs and guns,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Besides selling fentanyl in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, multiple loaded firearms, firearms with serial numbers partially defaced, and an untraceable ghost gun, he also allegedly sold switches to convert the ghost gun into a fully automatic machine gun.  The trafficking of these deadly poisons and lethal weapons fuels violence and overdose deaths in our communities.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who sell illegal drugs and firearms and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Wilvyn Antonio Rosario Martinez and his associates are accused of crimes that jeopardize the public’s safety in several ways,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel.  “As alleged, he was among individuals found to be in possession of several firearms, including a ghost gun, several firearm ‘switches,’ which convert a pistol into a machine gun, and thousands of potentially ultra-deadly fentanyl pills – all of which could have caused irreparable harm or death to countless members of our New York neighborhoods.  I thank the brave Special Agents and NYPD Detectives with HSI New York’s Violent Gang Task Force for confronting our community’s most serious offenses directly and without hesitation.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:^[1]

On five occasions between approximately December 2024 and May 2025, ROSARIO MARTINEZ and his associates – who claimed to be Trinitarios members – traveled from Massachusetts to New York to sell approximately 580 grams of powder fentanyl and counterfeit 30-milligram oxycodone pills that actually were pressed fentanyl, seven firearms, more than 100 rounds of ammunition (including armor piercing bullets), five firearm switches, and other firearm accessories.  The firearms included three loaded firearms, two firearms with partially defaced serial numbers, a rifle, and a privately manufactured, untraceable ghost gun. NYPD analysis of the firearm switches confirmed that each one was operable and converted the ghost gun that was sold with the switches into a fully automatic machine gun, capable of continuous fire so long as bullets remained in the firearm’s clip.  A photograph of the switches, some of the firearms, some of the ammunition, and some of the fentanyl pills sold by ROSARIO MARTINEZ and his associates appears below:

March 4, 2025 sale of a semiautomatic rifle, a pistol with a partially obliterated serial number, a magazine that had been loaded with 8 armor piercing bullets, 65 other rounds of ammunition, and approximately 595 fentanyl pills

May 7, 2025 sale of a ghost gun, a magazine that had been loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition, 5 ghost gun switches, and approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills

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ROSARIO MARTINEZ, 35, of Lynn, Massachusetts, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of possessing firearms, including machine guns, in furtherance of the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, which carries a mandatory sentence of 30 years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed, and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of possessing and transferring a machine gun, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI’s Violent Gang Task Force and the Yonkers Police Department.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Cheng is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.