Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Brockton Man Under Indictment Arrested for Illegally Receiving a Firearm and Distributing Fentanyl
BOSTON – A Brockton man currently under indictment for state charges, was arrested yesterday and charged in U.S. District Court for firearm and fentanyl distribution offenses.
Antonio Denziah Fernandes, 22, was indicted on one count of illegally receiving a firearm while under indictment and two counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday, Fernandes was detained pending a hearing set for Sept. 19, 2023.
According to the indictment, in January 2022, while under indictment in state court for trafficking more than 10 grams of fentanyl, Fernandes allegedly received a Glock Model 48, 9mm pistol. Additionally, in January and February 2022, Fernandes is alleged to have distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
The charge of illegally receiving a firearm while under indictment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl each provide 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 $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.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office; the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office; and the Brockton, Taunton, Whitman, West Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater and Bridgewater State University Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of the Major Crimes Unit 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.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.