Two Reading residents are facing felony charges following a Berks County District Attorney’s Office investigation into alleged illegal firearm trafficking, including accusations of straw purchasing, false statements and filing a false burglary report.
The Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that Joel Morales-Colon, 29, and Joymar Ortiz-Lugo, 39, both of the 100 block of South Sixth Street in Reading, have been charged following a months-long investigation conducted by the Berks County Gun Violence Reduction Task Force.
According to investigators, the case began in April 2026 after detectives launched an investigation into the illegal transfer and acquisition of firearms. The investigation was prompted in part by a January incident in which the Northern Berks Regional Police Department recovered a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Detectives restored the serial number and traced the Ruger 9mm to a purchase record associated with Morales-Colon’s fiancée.
During the investigation, Morales-Colon allegedly told detectives that the firearm, along with several others, had been stolen from his storage unit in Sinking Spring. He later filed a burglary report with the Sinking Spring Borough Police Department on March 19.
Investigators allege that report was false. According to the district attorney’s office, detectives uncovered evidence that Morales-Colon was involved in a pattern of illegal straw purchases and firearm transfers, including the purchase of a handgun on May 13 from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Birdsboro on behalf of Ortiz-Lugo in exchange for cash.
Authorities said Ortiz-Lugo was legally prohibited from purchasing firearms and allegedly sought the handgun for protection after being involved in a shooting in Reading several days earlier.
On May 21, detectives executed searches at the residences of Morales-Colon and Ortiz-Lugo, recovering and seizing the firearm purchased on May 13, according to the investigation.
Ortiz-Lugo was arrested July 15 in the 100 block of South Sixth Street and transported to the Berks County Sheriff’s Department Processing Center. He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Scott, who set bail at $75,000. Ortiz-Lugo was committed to Berks County Jail.
Morales-Colon surrendered to detectives Thursday at the Berks County Services Center and was transported to the sheriff’s processing center for arraignment. Bail information was not immediately available.
Morales-Colon is charged with materially false written statements involving the sale or transfer of firearms, penalties for sales to an ineligible transferee and unsworn falsification. Ortiz-Lugo is charged with materially false written statements involving the sale or transfer of firearms and penalties for sales to an ineligible transferee.
“Straw purchasing remains a significant driver of violence in our communities,” Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said. “These recent arrests highlight the continued, relentless efforts of the Berks County Gun Violence Reduction Task Force to dismantle the illegal firearm supply chain. We will not tolerate individuals who exploit the legal system to put guns into prohibited hands. By thoroughly investigating exactly how these handguns enter our community, we are stopping the diversion of firearms and sending a clear message: we will aggressively pursue anyone who threatens public safety.”
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Berks County Detectives at 610-478-7171 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Alert Berks County.
As with all criminal cases, the charges are accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
