ROBERT ALCANTARA was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday with conspiring to traffic firearms and with making false statements. ALCANTARA was arrested and presented in the District of Rhode Island.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Untraceable ‘ghost guns’ pose a serious threat to public safety. As alleged, the defendant agreed with others to buy the parts for these firearms, put them together at his home, and then unlawfully sold or attempted to sell over 100 of them. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the defendant has been arrested, and his deadly ghost gun business has been shut down.”
On November 20, 2021, law enforcement recovered parts for 45 ghost guns from ALCANTARA’s car. When interviewed by law enforcement, ALCANTARA falsely told them that he had never sold or transferred ownership of a firearm to any other individual, and that he had never transported a firearm to the Dominican Republic.
ALCANTARA, 34, of Providence, Rhode Island, is charged with: (1) conspiracy to traffic firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and (2) making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Mead is in charge of the prosecution. The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/rhode-island-man-charged-manhattan-trafficking-ghost-guns
