U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents from Calais arrested an Iraqi man in Ellsworth who they say overstayed his visa and provided false statements on background check paperwork while attempting to purchase guns, CBP Houlton Sector said in a Facebook post.
The man, who was not publicly identified, allegedly attempted to purchase an AK-47 assault-style rifle and a 9 mm pistol from an unidentified business, the agency said. He was arrested on Oct. 20 in Ellsworth, but where he tried to buy the firearms is not clear.
The investigation that led to the man’s arrest began with the Holden Police Department in Holden, roughly 20 miles north of Ellsworth along Route 1A, Holden Police Chief Eddie Benjamin told the Bangor Daily News. Benjamin declined to share additional information, citing that Border Patrol had taken over the case.
Ellsworth Police Department officials said Thursday that the department had no information about the case, but noted that the arrest occurred in the parking lot of a store on Myrick Street. Agents with Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations handled the arrest directly and Ellsworth officers were not involved, they said. Ellsworth police directed further questions on the matter to federal officials.
Additional details about the case, including where he is currently being held, were unavailable Thursday. A spokesperson for the Houlton Sector did not immediately respond to questions about the investigation.