Jeremy C. Lyons, Firearms Theft and Witness Tampering, Maine 2021

BANGOR, Maine: A Lubec man pleaded guilty to stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, witness tampering and retaliating against a witness. Jeremy C. Lyons, 29, faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to court records, in October 2021, Lyons broke into Pineo’s True Value in Machias and stole three Colt pistols. Maine State Police Crime Laboratory testing matched Lyons’ DNA to a Gatorade bottle he left at the scene of the crime.

Lyons became aware that he was a target in a federal criminal investigation involving his theft of the pistols. In July 2022, he threatened a confidential source who had provided information to federal law enforcement with bodily harm and later challenged the source to a fight.

Lyons later asked the confidential source to testify for him in his case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

The defendant faces up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Lyons’ guilty plea and sentence are a reminder of the serious consequences of stealing firearms and threatening witnesses. The public must be protected from individuals who engage in such reckless behavior.

The case is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies in Maine. Their efforts have helped to keep the community safe and hold individuals accountable for their actions.