Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearms After Domestic Violence Conviction

BANGOR, Maine:  A Lincoln man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing firearms after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Matthew Cole, 34, to time served and three years of supervised release. Cole has been in federal custody since November 19, 2020. He pleaded guilty on April 26, 2021.

According to court records, in May 2020, law enforcement officers were called to Cole’s home after a family fight complaint. While on scene, officers learned that Cole had recently possessed two firearms—a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and a shotgun. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found the shotgun in Cole’s bedroom. Officers found Cole about two miles away from his residence. He admitted that he had thrown a handgun while he was walking and directed troopers to the gun on the ground. During a subsequent interview, Cole admitted that he owned the handgun. He stated that he purchased the gun two or three years earlier. Cole was prohibited from possessing firearms following a 2018 conviction for Domestic Violence Assault in Penobscot County.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.