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A Brockton man was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston on a federal firearms charge.
Dennis Afonso, 33, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the indictment, on May 3, 2017, law enforcement officers in Brockton found Afonso in possession of a Cobra .380 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number and three rounds of .380 caliber ammunition.
Afonso was previously convicted in 2009 of distribution of cocaine base. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison and had recently completed his period of supervised release when he was found in possession of a firearm on May 3, 2017.
The 2009 conviction was the result of a federal investigation into drug trafficking and related gang activity in the Green Street area of Brockton. According to court documents, Afonso was a member of the Green Street gang, which operates on the north side of Brockton and rivals gangs from the south side of the city. During the course of the investigation, an undercover officer made dozens of controlled purchases of cocaine base from dealers, including Afonso. During that time, Green Street gang members made a verified threat to kill police officers in retaliation for the shooting and death of John Parks by Brockton Police Officers in November 2008.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
