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Vinalhaven Man Faces Up to 10 Years for Gun Charge
BANGOR, Maine – A Vinalhaven man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
John Dinius, 56, was arrested in June 2022 at the Fairfield Inn in Bangor after investigators received a federal arrest warrant. When Dinius gave consent for agents to enter his room to retrieve money, they observed a magazine for a gun on the bathroom counter.
When asked about the guns, Dinius directed the investigators to a bag containing a loaded .45 caliber pistol and a .38 caliber revolver. He admitted to hiding the bag to get the guns out of sight. A 2004 conviction in Massachusetts precludes Dinius from possessing a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Dinius faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
John Dinius will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
According to court records, the investigation was a result of a federal arrest warrant received by investigators. The agents entered Dinius’ room to retrieve money, but found the magazine for a gun on the bathroom counter.
The investigation has been ongoing, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration working together to bring Dinius to justice.
Key Facts
- State: Maine
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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