A Plaistow, New Hampshire man was sentenced on May 19 in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Dennis Duquette, age 46, to twelve months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Duquette had pleaded guilty on January 16.
According to court records, deputies from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at a residence in South Thomaston on March 21, 2025. The deputies found Duquette outside the home holding a 9mm pistol. After police ordered him to drop the weapon, Duquette complied and was taken into custody. He is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes throughout Maine and handling civil matters involving the government as well as collecting owed federal debts; it also serves as chief federal law enforcement officer for Maine and builds alliances with other law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions according to its official website.
