A Pawtucket man has been charged with providing false information to secure a firearm, according to an announcement by Attorney General Peter F. Neronha. The charges were filed in Sixth District Court in Providence following the man's attempt to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer in June 2023.
On July 2, 2024, Richard Osoria, age 23, was charged with one count of providing false information while attempting to secure a firearm. Court documents allege that on February 27, 2024, Osoria attempted to buy a Glock 9mm handgun from Lost Treasures Gun & Coin in Pawtucket but was denied after a National Instant Background Check System (NICS) check indicated he is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Investigators from the Office of the Attorney General discovered that Osoria is subject to a No Contact Order with a former girlfriend and had been arrested twice for domestic incidents in 2022. Federal law restricts certain individuals from possessing firearms, including those convicted of domestic violence or subject to restraining orders. These restrictions are reflected in questions on the federal gun purchase application.
Further allegations state that investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) contacted Lost Treasures Gun & Coin and obtained copies of Osoria’s state and federal applications. It is alleged that Osoria lied on his federal application by denying he was subject to a court-issued restraining order and had not been convicted of domestic violence.
Attorney General Neronha emphasized the importance of preventing prohibited individuals from obtaining firearms: “It is crucial to keep firearms out of the hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them, and in this case, as alleged, our gun laws and our investigators worked in lockstep to successfully prevent that from happening.” He added that his office is committed to investigating such cases to enhance community safety.
Osoria is scheduled for a pre-arraignment conference on September 30, 2024, in Providence County Superior Court.