BANGOR, Maine — An Indian Island man was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court to four years and three months in federal prison for having an unregistered sawed-off shotgun.
Matthew Green, 24, also was sentenced to three years of supervised release after he completes his prison term.
He pleaded guilty to the charge in federal court in Bangor on Nov. 8. Green surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service in Bangor about two weeks earlier to begin earning time toward his sentence.
The gun charge was filed as a result of a domestic dispute June 7, 2011, that brought an Indian Island police officer to a house where Green lived, according to a press release issued Monday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A sawed-off shotgun, which was not connected to the domestic violence incident, was found in a shed behind the house.
Green served 90 days in the Penobscot County Jail for his conviction on a domestic violence assault charge.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm with a barrel length of less than 18 inches and an overall length of less than 26 inches unless the firearm is registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, the press release said.
Green faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the prevailing federal sentencing guidelines, the recommended sentence was between four years and three months and five years and three months, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Lowell, who prosecuted the case.
I guess the Feds aren’t as lenient about breaking their laws as a local jurisdiction might be……
You can easily get 10-15 years for owning a firearm with no tax stamp but be out in 3 for murder. Our society and judicial system is seriously backwards. I can’t say I have sympathy for this guy though given his domestic violence conviction.
4+ years because he didn’t register a gun that was too short? Ridiculous!
He should have got rid of the gun, beat his woman again, molested a kid, punched a Nun, broke into five homes, high speed car chase from the cops, kicked a puppy, and shot up heroin while he sold his methadone right in front of the cops. He would have got 6 months instead.
Never mind all the child molesters, pill heads, and puppy kickers. We REALLY have to clamp down on this out of control short gun thing!
There is no “REGISTRATION” you need to pay for a TAX STAMP.
He should count his lucky stars. In the past it’s been the fad of law enforcement officers to shoot his wife and burn down his house for not having the tax stamp.
not correct, shotgun barrell length of 18″ rifle length of 16″ not all firearm rules the same
This is an outrageous law to begin with to say nothing of the sentence itself. What is the reasoning behind this law which has no place in a free society?
This is one of thousands of gotcha laws and regulations that people might not even know they are breaking.
If you put a extention stock on your 50 cal pistol is it still concidered a pistol or a sawed off rifle?
You’re kidding me he get’s 90 days for the domestic violence conviction and 4 1/2 years for a sawed off shotgun. That should really show you just how lenient the state of Maine is with their domestic violence sentencing. Not to mention the guy on the same page as this article get’s only two years for breaking into someones house. It’s getting harder and harder to make sense of the way these courts are operating these days.
I really dont agree with the sentance myself! I feel as many other feel that people who commit harsher crimes get off so much easier. Its BS that people who do so much more wrong than what he actually did are slapped with a fine and probation. The system is so un just. Ive stood by his side and will continue to do so. Theres alot of things that people dont know about this situation, theres alot of things that people dont know about Matthew in general. I thank the people who are commenting on how RIDICULOUS this really is! Im thankful that the judge didnt go any harder on him. Its a bit of time, but its just time. Thank you for the support !