Marcos Nieves, Illegal Firearm Possession, NH 2024

A Manchester man is facing federal time behind bars after admitting to illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, including two stolen AK-47-style weapons pulled from a bedroom closet during a murder-adjacent raid. Marcos Nieves, 40, previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, entered a guilty plea this week in U.S. District Court, confirming his role in a cache of weapons tied to a violent August 2015 shooting investigation.

According to court documents and statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Manchester police executed a search warrant at Nieves’ residence on August 8, 2015, in connection with a non-fatal shooting. Inside a bedroom closet, officers uncovered two stolen AK-47-style rifles, multiple loaded magazine clips, live ammunition, quantities of controlled substances, drug distribution paraphernalia, and personal documents directly linking Nieves to the stash. At the time of the raid, Nieves was a convicted felon—legally barred from possessing any firearm under federal law.

Nieves has been locked up continuously since the day of the raid—August 8, 2015. Prior to the federal charges, he pleaded guilty to state-level narcotics offenses in Hillsborough County stemming from the same drug evidence seized during the search. He is currently serving a 2 to 4-year sentence at New Hampshire State Prison, but that time may soon be followed by a federal term.

The discovery of military-grade weapons in a residential home sent shockwaves through local law enforcement. The presence of stolen firearms, combined with active drug operations, painted a picture of a dangerous nexus between narcotics and illegal arms. Investigators say the weapons could have easily fueled additional violence if not intercepted.

The case was jointly pursued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Manchester Police Department, reflecting the crossover between local street crime and federal jurisdiction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case, underscoring the federal government’s push to dismantle illegal firearm networks in urban hotspots across New England.

A federal sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2017. Nieves faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release following incarceration. The court will weigh his prior felony status, the lethality of the weapons, and the ongoing drug operation when determining his final sentence.