Feds charge four with selling guns at Bunker Hill project

Four men have been charged with gun-trafficking charges in connection with gun sales in the BHA's Bunker Hill project earlier this year, the US Attorney's office reports.

One of the men, Jeffrey Joseph, 31, has a lengthy record that includes ten prior convictions and six restraining orders from other people, according to an affidavit filed by an ATF investigator who worked on the case with the FBI, Boston Police and the BHA.

Joseph was charged with dealing in firearms and ammunition without a federal license and being a prohibited person in possession of firearms. Samuel Jean, 22, of Everett, and Deon Young, 32, of Hyde Park, were charged with conspiracy and dealing in firearms without a federal license. Troy Armstrong, 27, of Charlestown, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms.

Armstrong will be arraigned next week; the other three were arraigned in US District Court in Boston this week.

According to the US Attorney's office and affidavits filed in the case, officials began investigating gun sales at Bunker Hill in April. Key to the investigation was a "cooperating witness" who arranged purchases in different locations in the housing project, using marked bills provided by investigators.

During the controlled purchases, which were recorded on video, Jean and Joseph sold seven firearms to the CW over a one-month period, including at least one stolen firearm. Young and Armstrong sold two firearms to the CW during approximately the same period, including one firearm with an obliterated serial number.

According to an affidavit in the case, the cooperating witness had a bit of trouble arranging a purchase from Young, because he didn't want to drive up to Charlestown from Hyde Park.

But then, the affidavit continues, Young and Armstrong showed up at the witness's apartment with the gun at 8:30 a.m. the next day. The witness, knowing he had to arrange any purchases with his handling agents first, took a photo of the gun, then attached it to a text to one of the agents, asking for advice.

I told the CW via text message, as a way to arrange the deal for later in the day, that the CW should tell YOUNG he/she needed to go meet his/her cousin and get the money. The CW complied with this request. YOUNG told the CW he was going to leave the .45 caliber pistol with ARMSTRONG and the CW could just give the money to him. The CW said YOUNG and ARMSTRONG exited his/her apartment. I could identify the pistol from the cell phone photograph as a Hi-Point, model JHP, .45 caliber pistol, black in color and located inside a black colored plastic baggie.

The witness met with the agents, who gave him $1,040 and then he drove to the Bunker Hill project, picked up Armstrong and they drove around for a bit and consummated the deal, the affidavit says.

Innocent, etc.