Justin Moreira
Barnstable Police/CWN
HYANNIS – On Saturday May 28, 2022 both the Barnstable Police Department and Yarmouth Police Department received multiple reports of a Facebook posting by 29 year old Justin Moreira of Hyannis threatening to commit a school shooting at an unnamed location. Moreira was later located at his residence and taken into custody by members of the Barnstable Patrol Unit without incident. Members of the Barnstable Patrol Unit and Detective Division then executed a search warrant at Moreira’s Hyannis residence, however no firearms were located at that time. Moreira was charged with Making Terroristic Threats and was ordered held without bail. He is scheduled for arraignment at the Barnstable District Court Tuesday June 1, 2022.
If you have any information regarding this incident or suspect any other similar incidents, you are encouraged to contact your local police department to report it.
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CWN archives show Moreira is no stranger to police, including a prior federal conviction for illegally buying a firearm and silencer.
On August 3rd, 2012, CWN reported:
Hyannis man facing more drug charges
HYANNIS – A Hyannis man who police say has a history of drug offenses, is in trouble again. Justin Moreira, 19, was arrested while Barnstable detectives were investigating a separate incident. A gray Ford circling the block caught their attention. Police allege they saw Moreira hiding something. Nine capsules of ecstasy were recovered. That led police to execute a search warrant at Moreira’s residence. Police recovered a “multitude of drugs” including ketamine and ecstasy along with drug paraphernalia.
Moreira was charged with possession of a class A substance with intent to distribute, possession of a class B substance with intent to distribute (4 counts) and possession of a class E substance with intent to distribute (2 counts).
On April 3rd, 2015 CWN reported:
Hyannis man charged with buying firearm on “Darknet”
HYANNIS – A Hyannis man was charged today in Federal court with purchasing a firearm and silencer on a “Darknet Market” website, which provides anonymity to users to buy and sell illegal goods.
Justin Moreira, 21, was arrested today and charged in a criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of the firearm and silencer. According to court documents, Moreira has a previous felony conviction in Barnstable County in 2013 for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, a Darknet Market website is an online market that operates outside the parameters of the traditional Internet, allowing individuals anonymity to buy and sell illegal items, such as firearms and drugs. Such transactions are often conducted for bitcoins.
The complaint alleges that beginning in January 2015, Moreira engaged a Federal undercover agent in a series of online messages during which Moreira inquired about the potential purchase of several different firearms. Ultimately, Moreira allegedly ordered a Walther PPK/S .380 caliber pistol and silencer from the agent for which he paid the equivalent of $2,500 in Bitcoins.
Moreira instructed the agent to ship the package to a post office box in Hyannis. Federal agents monitoring the post office box immediately arrested Moreira after he retrieved the package this morning.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a Federal District Court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary B. Murrane of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Media release furnished by U.S. District Attorney’s Office.
Update: In April 2016, Moreira was sentenced to 42 months in prison, after pleading guilty to three counts of felony possession of ammunition and firearms.
