Portland Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Contact: David B. Joyce
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
     
Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced today that Moses Okot, 27, of Portland has been charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The charge arises out of a shooting that took place on November 16, 2015 in the vicinity of Fore and Market Streets in Portland’s Old Port district.  According to the complaint, Okot possessed a Springfield Armory USA Model SA XD-9 subcompact handgun that was recovered from a vehicle that he drove that day.  Okot was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a 2011 conviction for felony murder.
     
If convicted, Okot faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
     
It is expected that Okot will make an initial appearance in federal court today at noon.
                 
The investigation is being conducted by the Portland Police Department; and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments.
     
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.