BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for illegal possession of a semiautomatic pistol and ammunition.
Shaquille Lee, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 2, 2022, Lee pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“Prohibited individuals who possess firearms and ammunition pose a great danger to our communities. As a convicted felon, Mr. Lee was strictly forbidden from possessing any firearms, yet was found with three guns and ammunition. Adding insult to injury, he was on state pretrial release for a violent crime and subject to an active arrest warrant for a shooting. This has to stop. People need to be on notice that if you engage in violent serious crimes, particularly those involving guns, you are forfeiting your right to freedom pending your trial,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “My office will continue to work with law enforcement to ensure that violent and dangerous individuals like Mr. Lee do not continue to freely roam our communities without repercussions.”
“ATF remains committed in our efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons,” said James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners and use all available resources to combat violent gun crimes that occur within our communities.”
In April 2021, Lee was on state pretrial release for assault and battery charges and also subject to an active arrest warrant as a suspect in a February 2021 shooting in Canton. Those cases are currently pending in Malden District Court and Plymouth Superior Court, respectively. On April 23, 2021, law enforcement conducted a search of Lee’s apartment and recovered a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, loaded with 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition on the nightstand table in his bedroom. Lee was also found in possession of an additional 18 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition in an extended firearm magazine. Lee is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a 2018 state conviction of distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, a Class B substance.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, ATF SAC Ferguson and Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz; and Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, Jr. of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang 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.