10/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2024 13:36
BOSTON - Two men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Boston.
Aizavier Roache, 30, of Boston, and Trevon Brunson, 31, of Columbia, S.C., pleaded guilty to one count each of firearms trafficking and conspiracy to do so. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencings for Feb. 6, 2025 and Feb. 11, 2025, respectively.
According to the charging documents, this case arose after a firearm recovered from a shooting in Boston was identified as having been purchased in South Carolina 15 days prior. Over a three-year period, Brunson and Roache conspired to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Specifically, Roache would text Brunson photos of the firearms he wanted. After purchasing the firearms in South Carolina, Brunson would meet Roache at different locations in Columbia, S.C. to transfer the firearms. Roache traveled between Massachusetts and South Carolina numerous times to obtain the firearms.
Numerous text messages as well as bank, travel and firearm records detailed the conspiracy. Intercepted communications uncovered an instance were Brunson used Roache's credit card to complete a multi-gun purchase because he didn't have enough cash on hand, with Roache texting Brunson the pin number for the card during the transaction. Additionally, a video recovered from Roache's phone depicts him on a bus showing off a carry-on bag that contained four firearms. The date of the video corresponds with Roache's trip back to Massachusetts after a multi-gun purchase in April of 2023.
In total, the defendants trafficked more than 24 illegal firearms into Massachusetts from South Carolina. Eleven of the trafficked firearms were recovered in Massachusetts after being used in a crime.
The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.