CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice today announced that Anthony Sok Say pleaded guilty in federal court to joining an illegal scheme to purchase a firearm. Sok Say pleaded guilty to one count of the federal crime of Conspiracy to Make a False Statement in Connection with the Attempted Acquisition of a Firearm. Sok Say, 25 years old, lived in Lowell, Massachusetts, prior to his arrest.
According to court documents and statements made during today’s hearing, Sok Say and a co-conspirator, Grace Corcoran, visited a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett, New Hampshire on October 21, 2015.Sok Say solicited Corcoran, a New Hampshire resident to buy a hand gun for Sok Say. As a resident of Massachusetts, Sok Say could not purchase a hand gun in New Hampshire himself. Under federal law, it is illegal for a firearms dealer to sell handguns to an individual from another state.
In connection with the attempted hand gun purchase, Corcoran filled out a form legally required for all intrastate over-the-counter gun purchases. On that form, Corcoran falsely certified that she was the “actual purchaser” of the hand gun. The transfer of firearms was never accomplished because employees of the firearms dealer became suspicious, declined to complete the transaction and notified the authorities.
Sok Say’s sentencing is scheduled for May 16, 2017. Corcoran pleaded guilty to a related charge on January 12, 2017, and is scheduled for sentencing on April 25, 2017.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative undertaken by the U.S. Department of Justice to reduce gun crime in America through, among other things, community outreach and vigorous prosecution of firearms offenses.
This matter was investigated by the Bedford Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Manchester (N.H.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.
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