Joshua Morency, a 28-year-old Dorchester resident, pleaded guilty on Mar. 9 in federal court in Boston to charges related to firearms trafficking.
Morency admitted to one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possessing a machinegun. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2026. Morency was initially arrested and charged in November 2025.
According to the announcement, an investigation into Morency began in August 2025 for unlawfully distributing firearms around the Boston area. Authorities said that during the investigation, Morency sold a total of 17 firearms through undercover controlled purchases. Most of these weapons were described as being privately made using three-dimensional printing technology and are commonly referred to as “ghost guns.”
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000. The possession of a machinegun charge provides for up to ten years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and another $250,000 fine. Sentencing will be determined by the federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Boston Field Division; and Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police announced the plea agreement on Monday. The Boston Police Department as well as Suffolk County and Plymouth County Sheriff’s Offices provided assistance with this case.
