BANGOR, Maine — A Parkman resident who refused to surrender all of his firearms to state and federal authorities after being issued a protection from abuse order pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to federal gun charges.
Michael J. DeMaria, 44, pleaded guilty to two charges: possession of firearms in violation of a protection from abuse order, which is in effect until January 2013, and being in possession of a firearm while addicted to marijuana.
DeMaria originally was to plead guilty to the charges on Feb. 7 but told U.S. District Judge John Woodock that he was not feeling well that day and need a continuance. Woodcock accepted DeMaria’s pleas Tuesday.
A sentencing date is not expected to be set until after a pre-sentencing report is completed by U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services. Completion of the report usually takes between six and eight weeks.
The weapons and ammunition were found hidden in the walls of DeMaria’s residence as well as disassembled and in buckets hidden on a neighbor’s property. Much of the ammunition was found in a shed on DeMaria’s property.
DeMaria was prohibited from having guns and ammunition after his wife obtained a protection from abuse order on Dec. 28, 2010, from Dover-Foxcroft District Court. She and other family members told investigators that DeMaria smoked marijuana “all day, every day,” according to the prosecution version of events to which he pleaded guilty.
By pleading guilty, DeMaria agreed to forfeit a dozen guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Guns and ammunition forfeited in a federal criminal case are turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service and destroyed.
DeMaria was arrested May 17 outside Dover-Foxcroft District Court while on his way to a divorce hearing. He was released on May 25 on $5,000 unsecured bond.
He was arrested again on June 6 for allegedly violating his bail conditions after a person identified in court documents as a “concerned citizen” told police DeMaria had told him he was looking for a buyer for two AR-15 assault rifles and a Taurus .45-caliber handgun. DeMaria has been held without bail since then.
Working with the FBI, the concerned citizen learned that DeMaria had hidden disassembled guns on a neighbor’s property, according to court documents.
All those items were recovered, the documents said.
DeMaria faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the terms of his plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, DeMaria waived his right to appeal to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston unless his sentence is longer than three years and one month. The time he has been held without bail would be applied to his sentence.
Another fine example as to why people accused of abuse need to stay in jail!
Accused?
I thought you were innocent until proven guilty, not guilty when accused. I guess if you cross the harpies then you forfeit your rights.
Pretty scary that someone can have their property confiscated without ever stepping foot into a court room.
being in possession of a firearm while addicted to marijuana
cmon
Check his medical chart. He’s got a bad case of reefer madness.
It he got the munchies he may have eaten all his weapons given enough time.
Smoked up gun bunny hops amok!
I love this policy of destroying forfeited guns. I suppose they would do it even if those AR-15’s were new and in the box. To be fair about it they should also destroy vehicles, aircraft, boats and even homes that are forfeited. If it’s land they could just nuke it.
They can sell the vehicles, aircraft, boats and homes. They can keep the cash. But they wont sell the guns for obvious reasons.
What exactly are those obvious reasons? If they govt sold them to a licensed FFL dealer for resale it would put more cash into their coffers the same as vehicles, aircraft, ect.
Yes it would. And then those dealers would follow the rules and sell them legally to people allowed to have those guns. And yet somehow one of those weapons would end up being stolen, or pawned or traded and then at some point in time be used in the commission of some type of crime and then the —- would hit the fan. The anti-gun crowd would be out again in force with new ammunition so to speak.
Obvious reasons? please explain.
addicted to pot!!!!! FOR REAL!!!!! never heard of such a thing i better smoke one and think about this somemore
There is no such thing as addiction to marajawana or cannabis.
It’s too bad you have to surrender all those expensive guns to the gov’t instead of selling them to someone. I agree he shouldn’t have them if he is threatening people though.
i agree on the gun thing
In a message dated 2/28/2012 8:23:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, writes:
(http://disqus.com/)
common_since wrote, in response to bdymaniam:
There is no such thing as addiction to marajawana or cannabis.
It’s too bad you have to surrender all those expensive guns to the gov’t instead of selling them to someone. I agree he shouldn’t have them if he is threatening people though.
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I think i’ll join you!….now that I have time to relax…..
Addicted to marijuana?
Using that term in this situation discredits its meaning…..
perfect
Something smells here..
What a waste. Destroying anything is bad. Why not sell them and use the money. That aside why is this guy out running around. once again the Maine courts fail to keep the bg in jail…
Why not just pass them out to everybody. Bring a whole bunch of Yemen Downeast.
At least they’re giving the gun manufacturers some business. You destroy a late model AR-15 and another new one gets manufactured to meet the market demand.
Why not keep them to return to him after the order expires in 2013????
Must be sumthin in the water there in good ole’ Piscataquis county. Peeps goin’ loco for the Doobies,,,, not the Brothers either.
Addiction to the evil weed is a real thing, the secret is NOT to inhale… just ask Mr. Clinton?!?!?
p.s.: The dude MUST be a South paw…look at the “Trigger finger” on his ugly mug shot ??
LOCKED & COCKED !!!!!!! **********357 FOREVER*******,,,,;<)
LOL yea but the inmates are still running the asylum, eh?
Richmond cops tried to set up their boss, feds say
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/28/BAR91NDGKR.DTL&tsp=1
Justin Berton
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
see link for full story
Private investigator Christopher Butler arrives for a hearing at Contra Costa County Superior Court in Walnut Creek, Calif. on Thursday, April 21, 2011.
— Two Richmond police officers, angered by an investigation into their off-duty security company, tried to frame their supervisor by having him lured into an extramarital affair, federal prosecutors say.
A;l day every day? OMG what is this world coming to? What is next Booze?
the only reason they say he is addicted to pot is becouse it is agenst the law. Pot has nothing to do with the way he acts. Might make him hungry or sleepy but not mean. So smoke if you got them.
“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous
crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in
cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in
actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be
subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or
limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness
against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without
due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use,
without just compensation.
This is the fifth amendment to the Bill of Rights. Doesn’t really sound like much due process here.