Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charges

CONCORD, N.H. – A Massachusetts man is facing up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to gun charges in a New Hampshire court.

John Wachaga, 22, of Lowell, Massachusetts, entered a guilty plea in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to one count of aiding and abetting the making of a material false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.

The charges stem from a 2014 stop by Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department officers, who seized a handgun from underneath Wachaga’s seat. Further investigation revealed that Wachaga had used another individual to purchase the firearm for him in New Hampshire, as a prior felony conviction precluded him from doing so on his own.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (Boston and New Hampshire), in conjunction with the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson is prosecuting the case.

The statutory maximum penalty for the charges to which Wachaga pleaded guilty is ten years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Wachaga is scheduled for sentencing in August 2016, after a presentence investigation report has been prepared by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office, and the federal advisory sentencing guideline for the charges has been considered.

The guilty plea marks a significant blow to Wachaga’s future, as a convicted felon, he is no longer able to possess a firearm. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of strict gun laws and the consequences of violating them.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place in August 2016, and it remains to be seen what punishment Wachaga will face for his crimes. One thing is certain, however, the people of New Hampshire can rest a little easier knowing that a convicted felon is off the streets and facing justice.