Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession

BOSTON – A Springfield man previously convicted of rape pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Springfield yesterday in connection with unlawfully selling a firearm.

Hector Nieves, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2016.

On Sept. 2, 2015, Nieves negotiated the sale of a .22 caliber pistol and ammunition to a cooperating witness.  He received the cash from the cooperating witness, and arranged for his co-conspirator, Mark Alexander, to deliver the firearm and ammunition.  Following previous convictions of rape and failure to register as a sex offender, Nieves was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.

The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement.  The case was also investigated by the Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Ortiz’s Springfield Office.