A drug convict and his wife were charged with illegal firearms trafficking

NANTICOKE — Four days before Randy Matthew Rosario pleaded guilty and was sentenced for trafficking cocaine, he sold 13 firearms to his wife to keep the guns in his arsenal, according to court records.

The transfer of ownership of 13 firearms appears to be illegal, prompting Luzerne County detectives to charge Rosario, 31, and Hassana Sham Wrancher, 31, on Tuesday.

Wrancher reportedly told detectives she did not know how many firearms she had purchased from Rosario and did not know how to load, unload or handle the guns, court records state.

Rancher also claimed she didn’t like to shoot her firearm because she was afraid she would break her nails, according to court records.

Rosario was arrested in May 2021 by Wilkes-Barre State Police, Wilkes-Barre Police and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force after he sold cocaine in the parking lot of the Wilkes-Barre City Market on Highland Park Blvd., Wilkes-Barre Barre.

On May 9, Rosario pleaded guilty to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance before Judge David W. Lupas and was immediately sentenced to 18 months of probation.

Four days before the guilty plea and sentencing, Rosario and Wrancher went to a licensed firearms dealer in Wilkes-Barre Township to deliver 12 firearms to Wrancher, court records state.

Two days after Rosario’s sentencing, detectives visited Rosario and Wranchero at their residence on West South Street in Nanticoke, where they seized 14 firearms in an unlocked closet and safe, as well as firearms stored in a storage room on Mandy -street, Wilkes-Barre Township.

Most of the firearms were loaded when seized, court records state.

Rosario allegedly told detectives, “She did it for me so I could keep them,” admitting he had access to all the firearms.

Rosario and Wrancher were arraigned Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Rick Kronauer in Wilkes-Barre.

Rosario was charged with 39 counts of criminal conspiracy to provide false information to transfer firearms. He was released on $75,000 unsecured bail.

Wrancher was charged with 26 counts of criminal conspiracy to provide false information to transfer firearms and 13 counts of making a false statement to authorities. She was released on $10,000 unsecured bail.