Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Selling Thousands of Dollars Worth of Firearms to New Jersey Resident

NEWARK, NJ—A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for illegally selling firearms and ammunition on multiple occasions for thousands of dollars in cash, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Eduardo Velasquez, 63, of Reading, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to an information charging him with one count of illegally dealing in firearms. Judge Walls imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Velasquez admitted that he traveled from Pennsylvania to Jersey City, New Jersey, on five separate occasions, between July 5, 2012 and October 18, 2012, for the purpose of selling firearms. Velasquez sold 11 firearms to a New Jersey resident for more than $9,000. The firearms sold by Velasquez included: (1) two SKS 39mm rifles; (2) a Mossberg Model 88 shotgun; (3) a Winchester Model 1300 12-gauge shotgun; (4) a Mossberg Model 190 16-gauge shotgun; (5) a stolen Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun; (7) a Smith & Wesson .41 caliber revolver; (8) a Taurus PT917 9 mm semi-automatic pistol; (9) a Desert Eagle .44 caliber semi-automatic pistol; and (10) a Smith & Wesson SW99 .40 caliber handgun.
Velasquez sold multiple high-capacity magazines and more than 80 rounds of ammunition, including several hollow-point bullets. Velasquez indicated to the buyer that he often shipped firearms to the Dominican Republic and could procure additional long guns, such as double-barrel shotguns and military rifles.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced Velasquez to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, for the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Agarwal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

South Carolina Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison for Transporting Stolen Weapons into New Jersey

NEWARK, NJ—A South Carolina man was sentenced today to 75 months in prison for his role in transporting into New Jersey 22 firearms that were stolen from gun shops in Tennessee and North Carolina, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Bassir Baxter, 40, of Columbia, South Carolina, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 7, 2012, Baxter; Cedric Reddick, 20; and, Reddick’s father, Bevan Holston, 41, of Columbia, South Carolina, drove from South Carolina to the apartment of Terrell James, 23, of Newark, to illegally sell firearms. All four were charged by complaint with transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce.
Baxter, Reddick, and Holston entered the apartment, where there were approximately 10 other individuals, and displayed firearms on the floor for the potential buyers. In total, 22 guns were recovered, including semi-automatic handguns and military-style assault rifles. Twenty had been stolen March 1, 2012, from a gun shop in Bristol, Tennessee. Two of the guns had been stolen February 16, 2012, from a gun shop in Boone, North Carolina. Police arrested James and Baxter inside the apartment. Reddick and Holston were arrested after jumping to a rooftop from the kitchen window. Holston was sentenced in May 2013 to 10 years in prison. James was sentenced last week to six months in prison. Reddick is scheduled to be sentenced July 23, 2013.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Baxter to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Cannon; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray; and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Samuel DeMaio and Police Chief Sheilah Coley, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.