Conspiracy Hatched over Instagram Leads to Massachusetts Man’s Guilty Plea for Firearms Theft

BANGOR, Maine:  A West Springfield, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and stealing firearms from that dealer. 

According to court records, in April 2022, Ryan Ansart, 22, and coconspirator Damiean Marcial-Alexander, 21, of Waterville broke into a Waterville firearms dealer and stole multiple firearms, including a Glock, Model 17 Gen5 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson .38 special revolver. According to an ATF Theft/Loss Report submitted by the store owner, 15 firearms in all were reported stolen, six revolvers and nine semi-automatic pistols. Evidence collected included Instagram and text messages planning the theft, including a map to the location from Marcial-Alexander’s apartment, as well as photos of the two men holding some of the stolen firearms.

Ansart faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Marcial-Alexander pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, and also faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine followed by up to three years of supervised release.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Waterville Police Department.

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