Cumberland man admits to role in ‘lying and buying’ firearms scheme

PROVIDENCE — A Cumberland man previously indicted as part of a sweeping, 18-month-long investigation into individuals responsible for violent crimes admitted in U.S. District Court on Wednesday to participating in a series of “lying and buying” schemes involving firearms, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr., 25-year-old Tariek Gill pleaded guilty to false statements during the purchase of a firearm and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. Gill admitted that he participated in a series of “lying and buying” schemes, where in the fall and winter of 2016, he bought nine guns from three different licensed firearms dealers by falsely representing that he was the actual buyer of the firearms, when in fact he was buying the guns for others, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

At the time of his guilty plea, Gill admitted to the court that on Nov. 10, 2016, he falsely represented to a licensed firearm dealer that he was the actual buyer of a Glock G20 10mm pistol. He also submitted that same false information on an ATF form he provided to the firearms dealer as part of the background check process required to obtain the pistols, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

On the form, Gill falsely represented that he was the actual buyer, not a person buying any firearm on behalf of another person. Gill paid for the pistol, and 12 days later, he obtained the gun from the dealer.

Gill admitted that he employed the same scheme on Nov. 25, 2016, when he was able to obtain a Ruger .380 caliber pistol and Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver from a licensed firearms dealer; on Dec. 13, 2016, when he obtained a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Taurus .380 caliber pistol, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from a licensed firearms dealer; and on Dec. 27, 2016, when he obtained a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from a licensed firearms dealer.

Gill was paid between $50 and $60 for each gun he purchased as a straw purchaser, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Gill is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office last week announced that Gill was one of 26 people who were indicted following a sweeping, 18-month investigation that led to the seizure of more than two dozen firearms and significant quantities of heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine and methamphetamine.

Gill was indicted by the ATF Task Force Investigations on charges including three counts of false statements during purchases of firearms, and single counts of engaging business of dealing firearms without a license, and possession of a firearm by unlawful user a controlled substance.

The nearly two-year investigation was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a joint effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Attorney’s Office; and local and state police to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes.