JACKSONVILLE – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the return of an indictment charging Roberto Roman Ramirez, 50, of Orange Park, with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm. If convicted, Ramirez faces up to five years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Ramirez completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from Academy Sports, a federally licensed firearms dealer. Ramirez indicated on the required paperwork that he was not a convicted felon. The indictment alleges that this was a false statement and that Ramirez was previously convicted in federal court of conspiring to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana. 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to purchase a gun.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Talbot is prosecuting it.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make neighborhoods safer. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.