A Laconia resident has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for firearms offenses, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack.
Joshua McLean, aged 39, received his sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante and will also undergo three years of supervised release. In March 2025, McLean pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person and two counts of possession of 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,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “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.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Riordan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive’s Boston Division commented on the case: “The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of the offense. 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.”
Court documents reveal that McLean sold six firearms to an undercover officer, aware that some had obliterated serial numbers and one was a sawed-off shotgun. A search of his home led law enforcement to discover another gun, ammunition, and distribution quantities of illegal drugs. Due to a previous felony drug conviction, McLean was legally barred from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Violent Crime Task Force with assistance from police departments in Laconia, Manchester, and Tilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski prosecuted the case.
