Second suspect arrested in Worcester armory burglary

Authorities said they were able to match the pictures because of her distinctive hand tattoo. (Photo: DOJ)

A second person has been arrested in connection to the November burglary at an Army Reserve Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Ashley Bigsbee, 26, of Dorchester, was arrested Friday for possession of an M4 assault rifle stolen from the military facility and for lying to authorities. She’s being charged with one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun and one count of false statement.

According to court documents, at the time of Bigsbee’s arrest, federal agents recovered her phone and found several photographs her holding one of the stolen handguns and another picture of a rifle.

Along with identifying Bigsbee and the guns in the photographs, investigators identified other objects in the background that were also inside her house, which led them to believe that the stolen weapons were once there. However, no guns were recovered at her home.

Prior to her arrest on Nov. 20, Bigsbee voluntarily spoke with federal agents and denied knowing anything about a robbery of the armory and the guns her accomplice, James Morales, was allegedly trying to sell. She denied any knowledge of the stolen weapons, court documents say.

Investigators singled out the placemat of a “caricature of a chef standing next to a brick oven.” (Photo: DOJ)

If convicted of the gun charge, she could face 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and for the false statement, she could face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will remain in the custody of U.S. Marshals until her detention hearing scheduled for Dec. 3.

Morales was arrested on Nov. 19 and charged in connection with the theft of 16 weapons from the reserve station. He was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun, one count of unlawful possession of stolen firearms and one count of theft of government property.

In a statement from the Justice Department, authorities recovered the final stolen M4 in Dorchester on Nov. 27.