Michael Younge, a 26-year-old from Framingham and Boston, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to a federal firearms trafficking scheme that unraveled in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Younge admitted in court to aiding and abetting the making of a false statement during an attempted acquisition of two handguns — a crime that exposes him to up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The plot unfolded on July 15, 2015, when Younge, two associates, and his girlfriend, Tasha Gardner, walked into a federally licensed gun dealer in Hooksett. Younge and one of the men — both convicted felons — could not legally buy firearms. They also lived in Massachusetts, making them ineligible under federal law to purchase handguns in New Hampshire. That’s where Gardner came in.
Younge and the first associate, with help from the second associate, pressured Gardner to act as a straw buyer. She agreed and filled out the mandatory federal form, ATF Form 4473, falsely certifying that she was the “actual purchaser” of the two handguns. The ruse was designed to hide the true buyers — Younge and the convicted felon — from the dealer and federal authorities.
But the scheme collapsed before the guns changed hands. Employees at the Hooksett firearms dealer grew suspicious during the transaction and refused to complete the sale. Their alertness triggered an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) out of Bedford, with support from the Manchester Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty accepted Younge’s guilty plea and set sentencing for March 16, 2017. He remains in custody. Tasha Gardner, 26, already pleaded guilty to a related charge on November 4, 2016, and is scheduled for sentencing on February 21, 2017. Prosecutors are pushing for accountability across the chain of conspirators.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse. Federal authorities stress that straw purchases — even when no gun is ultimately obtained — are serious felonies that undermine national gun control laws. Younge’s guilty plea underscores the risks of using intermediaries to circumvent background checks and interstate firearm restrictions.
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Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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