Convicted Felon Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

BOSTON – A North Brookfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition.

Seth Decoteau, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 16 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution. In September 2019, Decoteau pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.

On June 8, 2018, police initially responded to a 911 call as a result of Decoteau making threats with a gun. Officers subsequently executed a search warrant at Decoteau’s North Brookfield residence and discovered a stockpile of weapons of nine guns, including two assault rifles, a ballistic vest, silencer, nine high-capacity magazines and more than 1,200 rounds of ammunition in his bedroom. Decoteau is prohibited from possessing three of the firearms found and the ammunition because of a prior felony conviction. Decoteau is also prohibited from possessing the short-barreled assault rifle and silencer because he did not follow national registration requirements. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and North Brookfield Police Chief of Police Mark Smith made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Q. Wan of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.