A 23-year-old man from Bayside, New York, has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
3 years probation, community service ordered
A judge sentenced Steven Gomez, 23, to three years of probation and 50 hours of community service for unlawfully possessing a Glock 17 handgun with a defaced serial number. The incident occurred on September 8, 2022, in the parking lot of a shopping mall in Albany County.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III of the Northern District of New York and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, based in Buffalo.
Authorities emphasize public safety
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Sarcone underscored the threat that illegal firearms pose:
“Those who unlawfully possess firearms endanger the public and will face criminal consequences,” he said. “While the Second Amendment is no longer a second-class right, my office will vigorously enforce federal laws criminalizing the possession of certain firearms and the unlawful possession of firearms by prohibited people, to make our communities safer.”
HSI Buffalo’s Erin Keegan echoed the concern, noting the public safety risk associated with firearms lacking traceable serial numbers.
“The possession of a handgun with an obliterated serial number is not just a violation of the law; it poses a significant threat to the safety of our citizens,” she said.
Case background
As part of his guilty plea, Gomez admitted to unlawfully possessing the modified firearm in the mall parking lot. Law enforcement considers firearms with defaced serial numbers especially dangerous because they are difficult to trace and often used to evade detection.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Rick Belliss.
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