Lake Region News

U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Hampshire issued the following announcement on March 3.

             Jacob Dionne, 22, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to aiding and abetting the making of a false statement during the attempted acquisition of a firearm, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 11, 2017, a federally licensed firearms dealer located in Hooksett contacted ATF agents about a possible straw purchase by a female. The store did not go through with the sale and described the vehicle that the female left in.  ATF agents subsequently observed the vehicle on Hooksett Road in Hooksett. Dionne was one of the people in the vehicle. 

            The female admitted that Dionne asked her to buy a firearm, and stated that he offered to pay her $200 and fill her gas tank for making the purchase. The female agreed to purchase a firearm and Dionne gave her his credit card to make the purchase. While at the licensed firearms dealer, evidence showed Dionne spoke to the female and pointed to the handgun display.  The female admitted that she completed paperwork and falsely stated that she was buying the firearm for herself.  In fact, she was purchasing the firearm for Dionne.

            Dionne was prohibited from acquiring firearms at the time of the attempted purchase.

            Dionne is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2020.

            “Federal firearms laws exist in order to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and those who cannot lawfully possess guns,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Those who seek to evade federal law by lying in order to purchase guns, or by getting others to do so, will be identified and prosecuted.  Enforcing these laws will help to reduce crime and keep our community safe.”

            This matter was investigated by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. 

Original source can be found here.