Massachusetts man sentenced after drugs, guns, ammunition seized during pretrial release – Fall River Reporter

BOSTON – A convicted felon has been sentenced in connection with firearms and drug offenses that occurred in 2019 and his subsequent possession of firearms and narcotics while on pretrial release for the previously charged offenses.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, on July 18, 2024, U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young sentenced 31-year-old Christian Soares, also known as “Eazy,” of Brockton, to 12 years in prison and four years of supervised release. In July 2023, Soares pleaded guilty to two counts of felony possession of a firearm and ammunition; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and buprenorphine (suboxone); and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, MDA (methylenedioxyamphetamine), and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

In July 2019, Soares fled on foot from police during a traffic stop. Soares threw a backpack during the chase before he was eventually apprehended, arrested, and frisked. A firearm with rounds of various ammunition, as well as a digital scale, fireworks, a hook knife, and buprenorphine strips were found in Soares’ backpack. Quantities of cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution were also found on Soares’ person.

In August 2019, Soares was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug and firearms offenses. In December 2020, after a period of incarceration, the court ordered Soares to be released on conditions, including 24-hour home confinement. Those conditions also prohibited Soares from possessing firearms, dangerous weapons, narcotics or other controlled substances.

In March 2021, while Soares was still in pre-trial detention, a search of the suspect’s home turned up more than 100 grams of fentanyl, more than 30 grams of MDA, more than 40 grams of methamphetamine and more than 70 grams of cocaine, as well as multiple firearms and various types of ammunition.

Soares is not allowed to possess firearms and ammunition because he was previously convicted by the state for possession of a firearm, for which he spent more than a year in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division, Stephen Belleau; U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts Brian Kyes; Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, John E. Mawn, Jr.; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the Suffolk, Norfolk, and Bristol County District Attorneys; the Suffolk, Plymouth, and Norfolk County Sheriff’s Offices; and the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph, and Weymouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.