BOSTON — A Lynn man, previously convicted of a felony, was sentenced Friday to six-and-a-half years in prison for illegally possessing ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Paul Votano, 38, arranged the sale of a Romarm Cuguir, AK-47 rifle and more than 300 rounds of ammunition with a cooperating witness in September 2019. Following the sale, agents observed Votano carrying the ammunition and storing it in a vehicle. As a previously convicted felon, Votano is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. A felony conviction remains on a person’s criminal record for the rest of their life, prosecutors said.
Votano pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition on May 13. On Friday, U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf sentenced him to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Votano’s arrest was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which brings together federal, state, local, and tribal levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice renewed its focus on targeting violent criminals and reinvigorated the program in 2017.
