New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Theft of Military Items

CONCORD, NH—Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire Michael J. Gunnison, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Field Division Warren T. Bamford, and Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Boston Field Division Glenn N. Anderson announced that today Joseph Downing, 42, formerly of Thornton, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison.

Thornton pled guilty to theft and attempted sale of stolen military items, including two high explosive rocket grenades, and to possession of firearms that were not registered in the National Firearms and Transfer Record. Downing was also placed on three years of supervised release which will begin after he is released from prison. During the term of supervised release, Downing’s behavior will be monitored by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office.

In late 2004 or early 2005, Downing, who served in Iraq with a unit of the Vermont National Guard, mailed the military items to his home in New Hampshire from his station in Iraq. The items he mailed were the property of the United States. The case came to the attention of the United States after Downing attempted to sell the items.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Feith prosecuted this case.