Guns mailed to Grafton Street seized
South Carolina man, 20, arrested in federal probe
WORCESTER — Federal agents in January intercepted two semiautomatic pistols they say a South Carolina man mailed to Grafton Street, writing in recently filed court documents the man was also seen gunsmithing an AK-47style firearm in a video he sent to the pistols’ intended recipient.
Matheus Peroba, 20, of Summerville, South Carolina, sent at least three packages of guns through the mail in recent months — one to Worcester and two to Marlborough — federal agents allege in documents filed on April 5 in U.S. District Court in Worcester.
Peroba was arrested March 5 in South Carolina, records show, but has yet to be scheduled for an appearance in federal court. Agents wrote in paperwork that Peroba is in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Georgia.
An affidavit by Katrina M. Anderson, a special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, indicates that she and inspectors at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service began their investigation after a person, identified only as “Person #1,” was arrested “on state criminal charges” on Jan. 15.
Anderson did not say where the arrest took place or what the charges were, but noted that she received information from Milford police on Jan. 16 about a package suspected to contain guns being shipped to Grafton Street in Worcester.
After obtaining a warrant, investigators opened the package Jan. 25 and found two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, a 31-round large-capacity 9 mm magazine and a 10-round 9 mm magazine. The package, Anderson wrote, was
addressed to a valid Grafton Street address, but the intended recipient wasn’t associated with that address.
Anderson wrote that a search of Person #1’s phone conducted pursuant to a warrant showed numerous text messages regarding guns between Person #1 and Peroba, including Peroba sending Person #1 a tracking number for the Grafton Street package.
The texts, Anderson said, also included a Jan. 12 exchange in which Person #1 sent Peroba a picture of a “Mini Draco” AK-47-style firearm.
Anderson, who noted most the texts were in Portuguese, said Peroba sent a text responding “deu negado pra compra no nome do cara,” which the agent said translates to “Refused to purchase in the guy’s name.”
Anderson wrote that two days later, on Jan. 14, Peroba sent a video message of himself, shirtless and at times displaying his face, appearing to gunsmith an AK-47-style pistol with a cordless grinder, sending sparks flying.
Anderson said it appears Peroba was “modifying the firearm to function as a machine gun,” and noted he also sent a video of himself appearing to functiontest the weapon.
“Peroba was demonstrating the trigger of the firearm no longer reset, indicative that the firearm would discharge more than one shot with a single function of the trigger,” Anderson wrote.
Anderson added that grinders “can also be used to obliterate a serial number from a firearm.” According to the affidavit, the guns agents intercepted in the mail contained serial numbers.
It was not clear from court documents what became of the AK-47-style firearm. A search of Peroba’s home upon his arrest, Anderson wrote, turned up “three firearms and ammunition, including a loaded Ruger, Model LC9 9 mm pistol with seven rounds of ammunition, an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15 rifle lower receiver, and a Taurus International, Model G2C pistol and two magazines.”
Anderson said agents also intercepted two other packages Peroba shipped containing guns destined for addresses on Broad Street and Grant Court in Marlborough.
The package sent to Broad Street, searched Feb. 2, contained a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol and about 51 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, she said.
The package sent to Grant Court, searched Feb. 23, contained a 9 mm pistol, various rounds of 9 mm ammunition and three pistol magazines, she said.
Anderson wrote that, like the package addressed to Worcester, the Marlborough addresses were valid but the listed recipient was not associated with the address. Anderson did not detail to whom the Marlborough packages were addressed.
Anderson noted that, in texts between Peroba and Person #1, Peroba at one point mentioned Danbury, and said postal records showed he’d recently shipped a package to Connecticut.
Anderson wrote that Peroba’s packages were sent with his name and address as a return address, and that he tracked the first package using his cellphone number.
She said Peroba, upon his arrest and speaking to agents with the help of a translator from ICE they called on the phone, admitted to knowing Person #1 and to sending and receiving firearms in the mail.
Anderson wrote that Peroba claimed Person #1 sent him firearms so he could perform custom work — like “changing out the color of frame, or replacing a barrel” — and send them back.
“However, ATF and USPS’s investigation showed, among other things, that the seized firearms originated in South Carolina, and that they were seized from the mail in Massachusetts a very short time after purchase,” Anderson wrote. A lawyer who was appointed this week to represent Peroba declined to comment Friday.
“Peroba was demonstrating the trigger of the firearm no longer reset, indicative that the firearm would discharge more than one shot with a single function of the trigger.”
Katrina M. Anderson
Special agent with U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
