David Eliezer Pagan of Vallejo, California; Ramon Antonio Pagan-Acosta of York, Pennsylvania; and Florivette Santiago-Rivera of York, Pennsylvania were charged by indictment with firearm offenses, according to a May 21 announcement from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The charges are significant as they involve allegations of conspiring to deal firearms without a license across state lines. The indictment alleges that between October 26, 2023, and April 9, 2025, the defendants engaged in activities including unlicensed dealing in firearms, transferring firearms to an out-of-state resident, and making false statements during purchases. The case highlights federal efforts to address illegal gun trafficking.
United States Attorney Brian D. Miller said the indictment further alleges that Pagan made at least 29 Cash App transfers totaling about $19,024 to accounts belonging to Pagan-Acosta and Santiago-Rivera. These funds allegedly facilitated the purchase of approximately 33 firearms by Pagan-Acosta from licensed dealers in several Pennsylvania counties—Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and York—while Santiago-Rivera is alleged to have purchased six firearms. When buying these guns from dealers using ATF Forms 4473, both allegedly falsely identified themselves as the true buyers or transferees. Additionally, it is alleged that Pagan-Acosta shipped at least five packages from Pennsylvania to Pagan in California under another person’s name who did not reside at that address.
Pagan and Pagan-Acosta face additional charges including conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and conspiracy to traffic firearms. All three are charged with making false statements during firearm purchases. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case while Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting it.
If convicted on all counts after trial or plea agreement consideration under federal sentencing statutes and guidelines by a court judge: Pagan and Pagan-Acosta could face up to fifty years’ imprisonment each plus supervised release terms; Santiago-Rivera faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment plus supervised release terms as well as fines or special assessments imposed by law.
Indictments only contain allegations; all persons charged are presumed innocent unless found guilty in court.
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania operates under the United States Department of Justice with facilities in Harrisburg among other cities such as Scranton or Wilkes-Barre; its office covers over twenty-one thousand square miles serving about three point two million residents through initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods while handling prosecutions for federal crimes along with civil litigation duties for government agencies and victim assistance programs according to the official website.
