Taunton Man With Prior Conviction Admits to Trafficking Firearms

BOSTON — A 28-year-old Taunton man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing and trafficking firearms as a convicted felon after bringing guns from Ohio and selling them in the state, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The office said Jaylen Rose admitted on Aug. 30 to federal firearms charges following his arrest in January.

Rose pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

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According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, from around December 2020 through early February 2021, Rose brought guns from Ohio to Massachusetts to resell them to people who were prohibited from possessing firearms.

The office said that Rose facilitated the purchase and resale of up to 24 firearms in total.

He was caught and arrested after being stopped in a vehicle on an outstanding state arrest warrant.

Authorities found him in possession of a Taurus firearm with an extended magazine, around 29 rounds of ammunition, and $3,000, the office stated.

As a convicted felon, Rose is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition and does not have a license to deal firearms.

He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 1.

"Massachusetts has strict requirements for firearms purchases and a thorough vetting process for lawful carriers for a reason," said US Attorney Rachael Rollins.

"Prohibited individuals, like Mr. Rose, who possess and, moreover, traffic firearms and ammunition pose a very real danger to our communities and exacerbate the rise in violent crime we have seen across our nation," she added.

"Keeping illegal firearms off the street and out of the hands of prohibited individuals is fundamental to reducing gun violence in our Commonwealth and beyond."