Laconia resident sentenced to 7 years on federal firearms conviction

CONCORD — A Laconia resident was sentenced to prison in federal court on firearms offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack said Monday in a news release.

Joshua McLean, 39, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante. McLean pleaded guilty in March to three counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person, and two counts of possessing an unregistered firearm.

“As a convicted felon, the defendant was prohibited from owning any firearms, yet he chose to surround himself with unregistered and illegal deadly weapons,” McCormack wrote in the release. “His drug trafficking activity only deepened the threat he posed. This case underscores our commitment to removing armed, prohibited individuals from our communities before they can do greater harm.”

According to court documents and statements made in the courtroom, McLean sold six firearms to an undercover officer, knowing some had “obliterated” serial numbers and one was a sawed-off shotgun. Upon a law enforcement search of his home, officers discovered another gun, ammunition and distribution quantities of illegal drugs.

McLean was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based on a previous felony drug conviction. 

“The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of the offense,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Riordan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive’s Boston Division wrote in the release. “The defendant’s possession of firearms while trafficking drugs jeopardizes public safety and is compounded by the trafficking of firearms with obliterated serial numbers which only serve illicit purposes.”

The ATF Violent Crime Task Force led the investigation that jammed McLean up in the end. The Laconia, Tilton and Manchester police departments provided valuable assistance with the investigation, the release reads. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski prosecuted the case.