WORCESTER – A local man who previously pleaded guilty to firearms and drug charges received a sentence of over five years in federal prison on Friday, June 28.
A Worcester Federal Judge sentenced Jose Rivera, 24, of Worcester, to 75 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Rivera pleaded guilty to
- Possession of a Machinegun;
- Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment for a Felony;
- Possession with Intent To Distribute Cocaine; and
- Possession of a Firearm In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Law enforcement searched Rivera’s residence on March 7, 2023. According to federal prosecutors, they discovered:
- Three Glock switches, including one attached to a loaded Glock .40 caliber firearm;
- Three large capacity magazines, including a 50-round drum magazine and boxes of ammunition;
- Cocaine intended for distribution,a scale, tray, and $9,000 in cash.
Prosecutors say Rivera received the firearm after Oct. 9, 2021, when a grand jury indicted him for felonies punishable by imprisonment of over one year.
A Glock switch converts a semi-automatic Glock pistol into what federal law considers a machinegun under federal law.
