Ex-Army reservist to serve 11 years for gun theft, escape

BOSTON – A former Army reservist has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for stealing six machine-guns and 10 handguns from a U.S. Army Reserve facility, escaping from federal prison and attempting to rob two banks.

The 37-year-old Cambridge resident, James Morales, was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty last year to several counts including possessing stolen firearms, theft of government property, being a felon in possession of a firearm and attempted bank robbery.

Authorities say Morales stole the guns from an Army Reserve centre in Worcester (WUH’-stur) in November 2015 and was captured days later in New York City.

Prosecutors say Morales escaped from prison in December 2016 by climbing a basketball hoop, jumping onto a roof and going through a barbed wire fence. He was recaptured days later after trying to rob two banks.