A Dorchester resident, Joshua Morency, 28, has been arrested and charged with firearms trafficking in Boston. Morency faces one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possessing a machine gun. His arrest occurred on November 12, 2025, and he is being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for November 19.
Authorities began investigating Morency in August 2025 for the alleged unlawful distribution of firearms within the Boston area. According to charging documents, Morency allegedly sold 21 firearms during undercover operations. Most of these weapons were described as 3D-printed, privately made firearms known as “ghost guns.”
If convicted, Morency could face up to five years in prison for dealing in firearms without a license and up to ten years for possessing a machine gun. Both charges also carry potential fines of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Boston Field Division; and Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. The Boston Police Department as well as the Suffolk County and Plymouth County Sheriff’s Offices provided assistance with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra W. Amrhein and Anne Paruti from the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting.
According to officials, this prosecution falls under new criminal provisions established by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed by Congress and signed into law in June 2022—marking it as the first federal statute specifically targeting unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
“The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” officials stated.
