Carlos Perez, a 40-year-old resident of Fall River, pleaded guilty on Apr. 9 in federal court in Boston to four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of distributing cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 14.
Perez was arrested and charged in November 2025. According to charging documents, he has an extensive criminal record with 61 adult charges and over 15 convictions, including previous offenses related to drug distribution and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Court records show that Perez sold cocaine along with a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition on May 5, 2025, to a cooperating witness. He also sold additional firearms—a Sig Sauer .380 caliber pistol on June 2; a Ruger Max 9mm pistol on June 30; and a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol on August 27—all with accompanying ammunition.
As someone prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions, Perez faces up to fifteen years in prison for the firearm charges as well as up to twenty years for distributing controlled substances. The sentences will be determined by the judge according to federal guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the plea alongside Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Boston Field Division. The Massachusetts State Police as well as Fall River and New Bedford Police Departments provided assistance during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime through coordinated efforts across Department of Justice programs.