A Boston man has admitted guilt in a case involving illegal possession of a firearm. Tyrone Goforth, 44, pleaded guilty to charges of being a felon in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. The plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin, who has scheduled sentencing for April 8, 2025. Goforth was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020.
The incident leading to the charges occurred on July 31, 2020, when officers responded to reports of an armed individual at a bookstore in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Goforth matched the description provided—wearing a black shirt and olive pants—and was found with a Sig Sauer P938 pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition. Due to a prior conviction from the year 2000 in Suffolk Superior Court, Goforth is legally barred from possessing firearms.
The legal framework for this charge allows for up to ten years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and fines reaching $250,000. Sentencing decisions are made by federal district court judges based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley from the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is handling the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that unites law enforcement at all levels with communities to reduce gun violence and enhance safety. On May 26, 2021, the Department introduced an updated strategy for reducing violent crime through PSN focusing on building community trust and legitimacy, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.