Judge Sends 19-Year-Old Methuen Man to Prison Two Years for Involvement in Gun Thefts

Warren B. Rudman United States Courthouse, home of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire located at 55 Pleasant Street, Concord, N.H.

A 19-year-old Methuen man was sentenced Thursday in federal court to two years in prison for conspiring to steal firearms from three different New Hampshire gun stores.

U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said Johariel Quezada was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliot to the prison term plus three years of supervised release. Quezada’s still faces a restitution hearing Aug. 9. He, William Mejia and Ethan Ayala were indicted in June last year.  This past January, he pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal firearms. Mejia pleaded guilty to similar charges and is scheduled to be sentenced July 7, while Ayala is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2024.

“Stolen firearms often fuel the gun violence that has become far too common in our communities,” said Young. “Stopping the flow of stolen firearms into our communities remains a top priority of this office and we will continue to seek serious sentences for these very serious crimes.”

Between Aug. 29, and Oct. 4, 2021, Quezada worked with others to steal 43 firearms from Milford Firearms in Milford, Second Amendment Arms in Windham and MacPherson Firearms in Brentwood. Multiple firearms were seized at Quezada’s residence. Videos recovered from Quezada’s phone also showed numerous stolen firearms and admissions of his involvement.

“Keeping guns from being stolen and used to commit further crimes remains a top priority for ATF,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson.

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