Harris Sentenced for Felon in Possession of Firearms

CONCORD – Thomas S. Harris, a 27-year-old North Haverhill man, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray today.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Harris is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. On August 25, 2016, Harris sold a Savage Arms, model 18-F, .410 caliber shotgun to a pawn shop in Lisbon, NH. On September 27, 2016, Harris sold a second firearm, a Keystone Sporting Arms, model Cricket, .22 caliber rifle, to the same pawn shop.

Harris previously pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 9, 2018. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, the Lisbon Police Department, and the Haverhill Police Department investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh prosecuted this case. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.

“In order to protect public safety, we must keep firearms out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we aggressively enforce federal gun laws and work to improve the safety and security of our communities.”

Harris’s sentence was handed down by the court, bringing an end to a case that highlights the importance of keeping firearms out of the wrong hands. The community can rest a little easier knowing that Harris will be behind bars for the next 18 months.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to enforce federal gun laws and keep our communities safe.