Man sentenced to prison after over two dozen illegal firearms transported from South Carolina to Massachusetts, some used in crimes

BOSTON – A Columbia, S.C. man was sentenced on March 21, 2025 in federal court in Boston for conspiring to traffic more than two dozen illegal firearms from South Carolina to Boston.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 32-year-old Trevon Brunson was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Brunson pleaded guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and conspiracy to do so. In January 2024, Brunson was charged along with co-conspirator Aizavier Roache.

The investigation arose after a firearm recovered from a shooting in Boston was identified as having been purchased in South Carolina 15 days prior. Over a three-year period, Brunson and Roache conspired to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Specifically, Roache would text Brunson photos of the firearms he wanted. The two would then meet and Roache would provide Brunson with the cash to purchase the firearms. After purchasing the firearms in South Carolina, Brunson would meet Roache at different locations in Columbia, S.C. to transfer the firearms. Roache traveled between Massachusetts and South Carolina numerous times to obtain the firearms.

Numerous text messages as well as bank, travel and firearm records detailed the conspiracy. Intercepted communications uncovered an instance were Brunson used Roache’s credit card to complete a multi-gun purchase because he didn’t have enough cash on hand, during which Roache texted Brunson the pin number for the card. Additionally, a video recovered from Roache’s phone showed him on a bus showing off a carry-on bag that contained four firearms. The date of the video corresponded with Roache’s trip back to Massachusetts after a multi-gun purchase in April of 2023.

In total, the defendants trafficked more than 24 illegal firearms into Massachusetts from South Carolina. Eleven of the trafficked firearms were recovered in Massachusetts after being used in a crime.

In February 2025, Roache was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

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 made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.