BANGOR, Maine – In a move to make Maine’s communities safer, 57-year-old William Abney was sentenced to two years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Old Town, Maine.
Abney, who pleaded guilty on April 28, 2022, was found to be in possession of an AK-47 style rifle in the living room of his residence in October 2021. A concerned citizen notified the police, and based on this information, investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the warrant’s execution, Abney admitted to possessing the firearm, and law enforcement located the weapon and a magazine full of ammunition.
Abney has previous convictions that preclude him from possessing a firearm, including a 1999 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Old Town Police Department, and the Brewer Police Department investigated the case, with the Penobscot County District Attorney’s Office also assisting.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. handed down the sentence.
Project Safe Neighborhoods aims to foster trust and legitimacy in communities, support community-based organizations that help prevent violence, and set focused and strategic enforcement priorities.
For more information on Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Related Federal Cases
- Convicted Felon Sentenced to 46 Months for Gun Possession · New Hampshire
- Neil West Sr, Armed Bank Robbery, Maine 2015 · New Hampshire
- Two Men, Airborne Assault, Maine 2024 · Alabama
- Clinton Damboise, Bank Heist, Maine 2016 · Connecticut
- Brandon Dearborn, Armed Confrontation with Police, Maine 2022 · New Hampshire
Key Facts
- State: Maine
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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