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A New Bedford man was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing a Mustang .380 pistol and ammunition.
Victor Morales, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 70 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On June 8, 2021, Morales pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon.
On approximately July 20, 2020, Morales possessed a Colt MK IV Mustang .380 loaded pistol and 12 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition in his apartment. Federal law prohibits Morales from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth G. Shine and Evan Gotlob of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
