A Massachusetts man has been sentenced in federal court for firearms trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan.
Gicliff Rodriguez, 24, received a sentence of 63 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release from U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe. In May 2025, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to charges related to firearms trafficking and being a prohibited person in possession of firearms. His co-defendant, Rachael Cummings, was sentenced on June 30, 2025, to twelve months of probation.
“Federal law is clear: if you are prohibited from possessing a firearm, you cannot try to get around that restriction by having someone else buy one for you,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “This defendant’s actions put the public in danger, and we will continue to prosecute those who attempt to sidestep the law at the expense of public safety.”
“The illegal trafficking firearms always poses a risk to the public. Rodriguez placed firearms in the hands of criminals who used them to commit acts of violence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that risk to the public and should serve as a warning to everyone that the unlawful trafficking of firearms will not be tolerated. ATF also commends the exemplary work of our partners at the Lowell Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.”
Court documents indicate that in February 2024, Rodriguez and Cummings traveled from Massachusetts to New Hampshire where Rodriguez instructed Cummings to purchase three semiautomatic weapons on his behalf at a gun store. As he had prior felony convictions, Rodriguez was barred from owning or possessing firearms under federal law. Two out of three handguns purchased were later recovered after being used in violent crimes in Massachusetts.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from local police departments. Assistant U.S Attorney Matthew T. Hunter prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative using resources from several Department of Justice programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN)—aimed at reducing illegal immigration impacts and fighting transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts across agencies.
