Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms and Narcotics Charges

DOJ Press

BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty on Sept. 6, 2022 in federal court in Boston in connection with firearms and narcotics charges.

Miguel Mejia, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possession with intent to distribute distribution of 40 grams of more fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2023. Mejia was arrested and charged in November 2021.

“The illegal trafficking of firearms and, moreover, ghost guns, directly contributes to the gun violence and violent criminal activity we see escalating across our county. Although Boston is an outlier and we have actually seen a decrease in violent crime, I am acutely aware that any violence is too much violence. Stopping the flow of illegal firearms from entering into our communities is the most critical step in combating violent criminal activity directly at its source,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “For nearly half a year, Mr. Mejia made a profit off of bringing deadly and untraceable Glock style ghost guns as well as lethal fentanyl into our communities – endangering residents’ safety and wellbeing to line his own pockets.”

“ATF continues to work vigorously with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety and protection of the communities that we serve,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “This guilty plea sends a clear message to those who illegally produce and sell ghost guns, you will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”


Between July 7, 2020 and Dec. 16, 2020, Mejia sold five privately made firearms (PMFs), more commonly known as ghost-guns along with ammunition. Specifically, Mejia sold two Glock 26 style PMF pistols, two Glock 17 style PMF pistols and 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Additionally, on July 31, 2020, Mejia sold approximately 50 grams of fentanyl. During a search of Mejia’s residence on Dec. 16, 2020, agents recovered: a Glock 43 style PMF pistol; 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition; three pistol magazines; a pill press and pill stamping set; and five baggies of narcotics cutting agents.


The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and ATF SAC Ferguson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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