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Press Release

Albion Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Purchase Firearms for Convicted Felon in Palmyra

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maine

BANGOR, Maine: An Albion man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to providing false information to a federal firearms dealer while purchasing firearms.

According to court records, in June 2018, Charles Viles, 31, knowingly made false statements to a licensed firearms dealer in Palmyra. Viles represented in writing that he was purchasing the firearms for himself despite knowing he was buying them for, and at the direction of, someone else. That person was a convicted felon and was therefore legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms.

Viles faces up to five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Massachusetts State Police investigated the case. The Middlesex County (Massachusetts) District Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.

STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her.

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Contact

Andrew McCormack, Assistant United States Attorney (207-945-0373)

Updated June 13, 2023

Topic
Firearms Offenses