BOSTON – A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms.
Cory Daigle, 29, of Revere, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in firearms; one count of illegal possession of a machine gun; one count of receipt or possession of unregistered firearm; one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL; and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20, 2024. Daigle was charged by criminal complaint in January 2023 along with Gustavo Rodriguez and Shakim Grant. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.
Daigle was a licensed firearms dealer doing business as Steelworks Defense Solutions. From in or about August 2022 through November 2022, Daigle and Rodriguez conspired to create false entries in records required to be maintained by Daigle, an FFL, in order to conceal the illegal sale of multiple firearms via Grant to Rodriguez, who could not lawfully purchase or possess firearms. Specifically, Daigle and Grant made and signed false representations on required forms to disguise Rodriguez’s identity as the true firearm purchaser. Rodriguez is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Additionally, Daigle attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement. One of the guns sold by Daigle was used two weeks later in a shooting outside of Rodriguez’s residence. According to court documents, the same gun, was subsequently recovered from a juvenile in New Bedford by police. In January 2023, multiple guns were seized during a search of Daigle’s residence. They were found in numerous safes, as well as on furniture, in bedrooms, in drawers and in open areas throughout the residence.
Grant pleaded guilty in May 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18, 2024. Rodriguez pleaded guilty on Nov. 13, 2023 and is awaiting sentencing.
The charge of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking in firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of illegal possession of a machine gun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
