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Press Release

Lewiston Man Sentenced to 3 ½ Years for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maine

PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Devon Duncan (aka “TY”), 36, to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Duncan pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022.

According to court records, on April 28, 2022, an unknown assailant shot through the door of Duncan’s residence in Lewiston, striking his wife multiple times. During the investigation into the shooting, which is ongoing, officers assigned to the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit discovered a Glock 19X 9mm handgun in Duncan’s apartment, as well as a 17-round magazine, 26 grams of cocaine base, and paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking. Photographs recovered from the victim’s phone showed Duncan holding the firearm and pointing it at the camera. Duncan has previous convictions which preclude him from possessing a firearm, including a 2019 conviction in Kennebec County for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking.

U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee commended the members of the Lewiston/Auburn Violence Reduction Initiative, led by the FBI, for their work on the investigation.

“The recovery of the firearm and the resulting prosecution of Devon Duncan stopped any attempt at retaliation,” McElwee said. “The defendant has an extensive history of drug trafficking, threats, and violence dating back more than a decade. Through a timely arrest and federal prosecution, the task force was able to interrupt the cycle of violence.”

The Lewiston/Auburn Violence Reduction Initiative is comprised of members of the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, the Lewiston Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, the Maine State Police, and their law enforcement partners.

Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

 

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Contact

Noah Falk Assistant United States Attorney Tel: (207) 780-3257

Updated April 14, 2023

Topics
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Firearms Offenses
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