Portsmouth Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Sixty Four Months For Drug And Gun Crimes

CONCORD, N.H. – Christian Jennings, 27, of Portsmouth was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 64 months in prison for possession of methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA or “Ecstasy”) and marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.

      During a routine traffic stop in Portsmouth on January 2, 2011, Portsmouth police officers found distribution quantities of both MDMA and marijuana and other controlled substances in Jennings’ car, more than $42,000 in cash, and drug distribution paraphernalia.  At the time of the traffic stop, Jennings was carrying a fully loaded Smith & Wesson, .38 caliber revolver in the waistband of his pants.  A search of Jennings’ Portsmouth home yielded three additional firearms and additional quantities of controlled substances.

     This case was investigated by the Portsmouth Police Department and was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal program to reduce gun violence in New Hampshire by aggressive investigation and prosecution of firearm offenders, education of the public, and training of law enforcement officers about federal firearm laws.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.