A Boston man, Pepo Herd El, also known as Pepo Wamchawi Herd, has pleaded guilty to charges of illegal firearm possession. The 51-year-old Dorchester resident admitted to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs has set his sentencing for January 2, 2025.
Herd El was apprehended on Thanksgiving Day in 2020 and has been held since then. His arrest followed an investigation that revealed extensive online purchases related to firearms over the preceding year. These included a laser sight, magazines, and other accessories intended for firearms modification.
The investigation showed that Herd El adhered to the sovereign citizen ideology, often characterized by anti-government beliefs. On November 26, 2020, he was detained at the Ruggles MBTA station with a loaded semi-automatic pistol and various accessories such as spare magazines and a laser sight.
A subsequent search of his residence uncovered additional items including armor-piercing rounds and tools for manufacturing ammunition. There were also drawings related to firearms design and notes on creating explosive compounds like TNT and C-4.
Due to prior state convictions from 2004 involving firearm offenses, Herd El is legally barred from possessing guns or ammunition. The law under which he is charged carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison, along with supervised release and financial penalties.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy announced the plea alongside Jodi Cohen from the FBI's Boston Field Division. The case received support from multiple agencies including the Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Beck and Timothy Kistner are leading the prosecution with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff.