CONCORD — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - New Hampshire), published as received.

            CONCORD - Paul Channell, 31, of Nashua, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2020, Channell was arrested for driving under the influence by the Hudson Police Department.  As a result of the arrest, a tow truck was called and the police began an inventory of the vehicle pursuant to their inventory policy.  The police located a Glock 26 handgun with an extended magazine and a round in the chamber. Channell was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because he was convicted of a felony in 2018. He was also on supervised release at the time of his arrest.

            Channell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2021.

            “To protect our community from violence, it is vital to keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.  “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute armed criminals who threaten public safety in the Granite State.”

            “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the outstanding partnership between the Hudson Police Department and the ATF as well as the commitment we share to work together to interdict illegal firearms and the criminals that compromise the safety of our communities” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James M. Ferguson

            This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Hudson Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Walsh.

            This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. 

 

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