PROVIDENCE – Two Providence brothers previously convicted in New York state court on violent crime charges are facing federal charges following the seizure of five firearms, including four “ghost guns,” and ammunition during searches of their residences as part of a Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) investigation, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Both Lucas Soriano, 41, and Rafael Soriano, 44, are charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with possession of firearms and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year; Lucas Soriano is also charged with making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer when attempting to purchase a firearm and with causing false records to be kept by a federally licensed firearms dealer.
Since July 2022, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Postal Inspectors have been investigating individuals who are believed to be using the United States mail in furtherance of violating federal firearm laws. Additionally, ATF Agents have been focusing on individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms, as well as individuals who are engaging in firearm-trafficking activities by illegally manufacturing and distributing guns.
According to court documents, a number of retailers that specialize in the advertising and sale of firearm parts, ammunition and firearm accessories allegedly shipped orders through the U.S. Postal Service to both Lucas and Rafael Soriano at their mother’s address, located in the same dwelling where Rafael also resides. These orders contained items that are commonly used to manufacture privately made firearms that lack serial numbers and other manufacturer or importer markings, rendering them difficult for law enforcement to trace.
During the course of this PSN investigation, ATF also learned that in June 2022, a federally licensed firearm dealer in Rhode Island denied Lucas Soriano application to purchase a firearm after he allegedly falsely claimed on ATF forms that he had not been previously convicted of a crime, when in fact he had.
On Friday, ATF agents and Postal inspectors executed court-authorized search warrants at the residences of both men. Law enforcement seized three “ghost guns,” an additional 9mm firearm, and assorted ammunition from Lucas Soriano’s apartment, and seized one “ghost gun,” two ammunition magazines with 37 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a bag containing various loose ammunition from Rafael Soriano’s residence.
Both men made initial appearances in U.S. District Court on Friday. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to court records, Rafael Soriano was previously convicted in New York state court on robbery charges and in federal court in Rhode Island on drug-trafficking charges; Lucas Soriano was convicted in New York state court on armed robbery and a firearm charge.
The cases in federal court are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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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