An Augusta man pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court Bangor to lying to federal firearms dealers in order to obtain weapons.
He is among five people indicted last April on firearms charges. All initially entered not guilty pleas to the federal firearms violations.
Richard Quattrone, 48, of Augusta, pleaded guilty to two counts of lying to a federal firearms licensee on March 10, 2017. The indictment says he purchased a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380-caliber pistol from Audette’s Inc. in Winthrop. It says that Quattrone “was an unlawful user of marijuana” at the time and that he intentionally wrote down an address that was not his current one.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives prohibits the sale of firearms and ammunition to those who use marijuana because it remains illegal under federal law, even if state laws such as Maine’s permit medical and recreational marijuana use.
Quattrone is represented by attorney Christopher MacLean.
Under a plea agreement signed in June, Quattrone waived his right to appeal any imprisonment that does not exceed 18 months.
He remains free on $5,000 unsecured bond with conditions. Convictions on charges of making false statements to firearms dealers carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
Mark White, of Unity, and formerly of Searsmont, who also was indicted on two counts of lying to federal firearms dealers, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing Aug. 29 at U.S. District Court in Bangor.
He is accused of buying a Smith and Wesson SD40VE .40-caliber pistol on Jan. 31, 2017, from Parsons Small Engine & Gun Shop in Unity, and indicated he was the actual purchaser when he was not. The second count is similar and involves the purchase of a Glock model 9 mm pistol, again from Parsons.
The prosecution’s version of the offense says White bought the weapons for another, unidentified person who then was going to give them to someone outside Maine.
White is represented by attorney Ronald Bourget. A plea agreement in White’s case indicates he waives the right to appeal any imprisonment that does not exceed 16 months.
While he was initially free on $5,000 unsecured bond, White has been held in custody since early June pending disposition of the case. Federal authorities arrested him after he allegedly failed to appear in state court on charges of operating after suspension and attaching false plates, changed his address and failed to contact the supervising probation officer, and used cocaine.
Of the three other men charged, Steven P. Springer II pleaded guilty May 29 to two counts of making false statements to firearms dealers. He is awaiting sentencing.
Donald Henderson, 33, of Winthrop, who was charged with two counts of making false statements to a federal firearms licensee, originally was scheduled for a change of plea hearing Tuesday, but it was postponed until Sept. 24. He remains free on $5,000 unsecured bond.
Henderson’s indictment says he made false statements on Feb. 28, 2017, while buying a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380-caliber pistol from Audette’s Inc., located in Winthrop. It alleges he checked a box indicating he was not an unlawful user of marijuana when, in fact, he was. The allegation is repeated in the second count, which says Henderson purchased an SCCY model CPX-1, 9 mm pistol on March 2, 2017, also from Audette’s.
David O. Miles Jr., 27, of Hartland, who faces one charge of making a false statement to a federal firearms licensee, is on the trial list for September. The indictment says he bought two pistols, an SCCY CPX-1 9 mm and an SCCY CPX-2 9 mm, on March 2, 2015, from Bio-Rem Auto Sales, which is in St. Albans, and said the firearms were for him, which was untrue.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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