Press Statement  Gun Dealer in Sutton Agrees to End Illegal Sales Practices

Boston — A gun dealer who was illegally operating from his home in Sutton has agreed to surrender his license to sell firearms in Massachusetts, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

According to the assurance of discontinuance, filed yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court, Anthony Martinello and his business Martinello Quality Firearms sold Glock handguns without load indicators or magazine safety disconnects as required by state handgun safety regulations. In violation of state law, Martinello also used his home as his permanent place of business for conducting gun sales and transactions.

“In Massachusetts, we have the benefit of strong state laws to help law-abiding gun dealers in keeping the public safe, and we rely on gun dealers to ensure responsible gun ownership,” said AG Healey.

The AG’s investigation found that the transactions occurred between January 2014 and April 2016. The illegal Glock handguns were sold to consumers who had not identified themselves as verified law enforcement officers.

Under the terms of the settlement, Martinello has agreed not to seek a license to sell, rent or lease firearms, handguns, rifles and shotguns issued for a period of three years. He will also pay $10,000 to the Commonwealth for fees and costs associated with the investigation.

This settlement is another step in AG Healey’s efforts to enhance gun safety and to assure compliance with Massachusetts gun laws and regulations. Last month, a gun dealer in Worcester agreed to bring its policies into compliance with state law and to pay up to $35,000 for selling illegal Glocks and handguns that are not listed on the state’s approved roster.

In December 2015, AG Healey sent a letter to all 350 state gun dealers reminding them of their obligations under state law. Last year, she led a multi-state effort urging Congress to lift the ban on gun-violence research by the Centers for Disease Control and is working with medical professionals to help develop resources for physicians to aid conversations with their patients about guns in the home.

Last July, AG Healey issued a notice to gun manufacturers and licensed dealers in Massachusetts, warning that her office is stepping up enforcement of the state’s assault weapons ban, including a crackdown on new sales of copycat weapons. Since then, illegal sales of assault weapons have stopped in the state.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Gary Klein of AG Healey’s Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau and Assistant Attorney General Samantha Shusterman of AG Healey’s Consumer Protection Division, with the assistance of David Bolcome and Colleen Frost of AG Healey’s Civil Investigations Division.