A Reading man is facing multiple felony charges following an investigation into illegal firearms purchases and trafficking activity, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Carlos Liciaga, 43, of the 1100 block of Church Street, was charged with 13 counts of making materially false written statements in connection with the sale or transfer of firearms. The charges were authorized by Magisterial District Judge Ann L. Young.
The charges stem from an investigation initiated on April 27, 2025, by Spring Township Police Department when Berks County Communications Center received a report of shots fired in their jurisdiction. During the subsequent investigation, a Glock 10mm handgun was located in the area of Wilson School Court, Spring Township. While Liciaga was identified as the owner of this handgun, he was not the subject of the initial shots fired investigation.
Based on a follow-up investigation by members of the Berks County Gun Violence Reduction Task Force, officers identified patterns and circumstances regarding the purchase history of handguns by Carlos Liciaga and previous seizures of firearms belonging to him; including firearms that were utilized in shootings.
A review of Liciaga’s firearm records revealed that he had purchased at least twenty-four handguns since 2011. Nine of these firearms have been recovered by law enforcement, with eight of them found during crimes involving individuals other than Liciaga.
Further investigation found that transaction records completed by Liciaga over the past five years contained materially false information. These false statements were made on Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473 during firearm purchases at various gun shops in Berks County Pennsylvania. Examples of false information include incorrect addresses and county of residence. Each ATF Form 4473 is signed by the purchaser, acknowledging that false statements are punishable as a felony under federal and state law.
On July 14, 2025, Carlos Liciaga surrendered to authorities and is pending arraignment.
Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams reiterated a previous statement regarding gun crimes:
“We will not tolerate individuals who exploit the legal firearm purchasing systems to arm criminals and fuel violence in our communities. This investigation is a good example of the recent initiative of the Berks County Gun Violence Reduction Task Force to not only focus on current acts of violence but also investigate past crimes involving firearms and determine how these handguns entered our community and how these offenders obtained these guns which were used as a tool for violence. The goal is to stop and reduce this practice of otherwise legal purchasers to divert handguns to those who are ineligible to possess a gun. This arrest sends a clear message that our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue those who threaten public safety through gun trafficking and drug smuggling.”
As in every criminal case, the fact that an arrest occurred or a criminal complaint has been filed is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This is an ongoing investigation. If anyone has information, please contact the Berks County Detectives at 610-478-7171. They can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Alert Berks County by either calling 877-373-9913, downloading the ALERTBERKS app on their mobile device, or via test message by typing ALERTBERKS along with their tip to 847411.