A Lowell, Massachusetts man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for aiding and abetting the straw purchase of a firearm in New Hampshire.
John Wachaga, 22, was sentenced on Friday in United States District Court in Concord, New Hampshire, for his role in purchasing a handgun in the Granite State.
According to court records and statements in court, on May 4, 2014, officers from the Lowell, Massachusetts Police stopped a vehicle being driven by Wachaga, and seized a handgun secreted underneath Wachaga’s seat.
Upon further investigation, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that Wachaga had persuaded another individual to purchase the firearm for him in New Hampshire, because a prior felony conviction precluded him from purchasing the firearm himself.
The prosecution arose from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (Boston and New Hampshire), in conjunction with the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
Wachaga was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutively to a sentence Wachaga is currently serving on state charges in Massachusetts.
The defendant faces possible deportation proceedings following the completion of his sentence.
Related Federal Cases
- Jessica Fithian, Straw Purchase of Firearm, New Hampshire 2024 · New Hampshire
- Michael Younge, Aiding and Abetting False Statement, New Hampshire 2015 · New Hampshire
- John Dinius, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Maine 2022 · New Hampshire
- Richard Ouellette, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, New Hampshire 2011 · Florida
- Queron Foreman, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, New Hampshire 2020 · New Hampshire
Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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