Bristol man prohibited from receiving firearms charged with lying on firearm purchase application

Published on Friday, July 14, 2023

An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced that a Bristol man has been charged in Second Division District Court with providing false information in order to secure a firearm following his attempt to buy two guns from a licensed firearms dealer in Tiverton in April 2023.

On July 12, 2023, investigators from the Office of the Attorney General arrested Keith Sartini (age 56), charging him with one count of providing false information while attempting to secure a firearm. Investigators brought the defendant to Second Division District Court later that day where he was arraigned.

As alleged in the complaint, on April 25, 2023, the defendant attempted to purchase two firearms from East Bay Ammunition, LLC in Tiverton and was subsequently denied after a National Instant Background Check System (NICS) check returned results flagging that the defendant is prohibited from receiving a firearm.

Upon further review, investigators found that the defendant is facing a pending felony charge in Providence County Superior Court for possession of child pornography following his arrest in 2018.

Under federal law, certain individuals are restricted from possessing a firearm. Individuals awaiting trial on felony charges are prohibited from receiving a gun or ammunition. This law informs one of the questions on the federal gun purchase application.

As further alleged, investigators contacted East Bay Ammunition and requested copies of the defendant’s state and federal applications. On his federal application, the defendant allegedly lied by denying that he was currently under information or indictment for a crime that could carry a sentence of more than one year in prison.

“As alleged, this case is an excellent example of our gun laws and our investigators working in lockstep to protect Rhode Islanders,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Keeping guns out of the hands of those prohibited from possessing firearms is crucial to making sure our communities are safe from gun violence. I want to thank the investigators from this Office’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation Unit for its exceptional work here, and the licensed firearms dealer for its cooperation in this case.”

The Bristol Police Department assisted with the investigation.

Following his arraignment, the Court also ordered the defendant be held without bail for allegedly violating the terms of his bail in his ongoing child pornography case, pending a bail violation hearing scheduled on July 19, 2023, in Newport County Superior Court.

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