A Springfield man, James Elliott, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for unlawful firearm possession. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann handed down the sentence in Bangor, Maine, followed by three years of supervised release. Elliott had pleaded guilty on February 4, 2025.
The case stemmed from an incident in February 2024 when a Penobscot County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a report that Elliott threatened an insurance company home inspector with a firearm. A subsequent search of his residence uncovered six firearms, including a loaded .44 magnum lever-action rifle. Elliott’s prior felony convictions in Kansas legally barred him from possessing firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from local law enforcement agencies including the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine Warden Service, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The initiative emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
