WOONSOCKET – A city man was sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in an illegal firearm trafficking scheme, R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Wednesday.
Willie Love, 33, pleaded no contest on Oct. 21 to carrying a pistol without a license and conspiracy to sell a concealable weapon without proper paperwork.
Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers sentenced Love to eight years, with two years to serve at the ACI, and a six-year suspended sentence with eight years of probation.
Love was arrested on Nov 12, 2021, following an investigation which led to the prosecution of four defendants – Theodore Braxton, Ralph Gbaie, Amerlia Holmes and Russell Dacruz. Investigators identified Love, who was barred under federal law from buying a firearm due to a previous conviction, as having purchased a Taurus G2C 9mm semi-automatic pistol from Holmes.
In the weeks before his arrest, investigators identified Love in several social media posts that depicted him in possession of the pistol.
A search warrant was executed at the Love’s residence on Park Avenue in Woonsocket, where police seized the Taurus pistol along with a fully loaded 15-round magazine lying beside his bed.
“Illegal firearm distribution schemes continue to threaten our community, putting the lives of innocent victims at risk,” said Steven M. Paré, Providence commissioner of public safety. “Targeting illegal firearms is a priority of law enforcement and this initiative will enhance our agencies’ ability to utilize data, technology, and intelligence to analyze, investigate and connect the players involved more efficiently.”
