BOISE – Richard Gordon Laine, 25, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Boise to possession of an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

According to the plea agreement, in December 2010, before being arrested on state charges, Laine hid a sawed-off shotgun and handgun in a bush near a residence on Ranchero Drive in Boise. Law enforcement learned of the hidden firearms and recovered a Magnum 12 gauge pump-action shotgun and Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol, both with obliterated serial numbers. In January 2011, during a traffic stop, Laine was found in possession of two more sawed-off shotguns, a Pardner 12 gauge single-shot shotgun and a CBC MT-151 20 gauge single-shot shotgun. An examination of the weapons by an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, determined that the three shotguns had been sawed-off and were not registered to Laine in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The firearms are subject to forfeiture.

The charge is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $10,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

Sentencing is set for August 28, 2012, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.

The case was investigated by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force, a task force comprised of local and federal law enforcement agencies in the Treasure Valley.

Laine is being prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southeast Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.