Florida man sentenced in Rhode Island on gun charges

COVENTRY, R.I. — A Florida man who frequently stayed in Rhode Island has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after authorities uncovered a stash of illegally modified firearms, including fully automatic weapons, at a Coventry residence.

Federal prosecutors said 45-year-old Joshua Pavao was arrested in December 2023 following a high-speed chase with East Providence Police. After crashing his car and attempting to flee on foot, officers found three loaded guns, several magazines, and ammunition in and around his vehicle.

A court-authorized search later led police and ATF agents to a duffle bag in a Coventry garage linked to Pavao. Inside, they found eight long guns—four of which had been converted into machineguns using auto sear devices.

Pavao pled guilty earlier this year and was sentenced on June 5 in U.S. District Court. In addition to prison time, he’ll serve three years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by East Providence and Coventry Police, along with the ATF.