PORTLAND – A Greene man was ordered to serve more than two years in federal prison this week after he was convicted on firearm charges in U.S. District Court.

Prosecutors said Chad E. Fitzherbert, 28, lied on firearms applications while buying handguns at stores in Auburn and Winthrop in September.

Fitzherbert was charged with three counts of making false statements in connection with the purchase of firearms. He was also convicted of two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of domestic violence.

Fitzherbert has previous felony convictions for aggravated forgery and two for assault , according to court records.

Investigators said that on Sept. 3, Fitzherbert bought .40-caliber and 9 mm pistols at an Auburn gun dealership. Prosecutors said Fitzherbert lied on a firearm application when asked if he had ever been convicted of a felony.

A day later, Fitzherbert bought a pair of 9 mm pistols from a store in Winthrop, prosecutors said. Again, investigators said Fitzherbert lied about his prior convictions.

The case against him was investigated by the Central Maine Violent Crime Task Force and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. U.S. Attorney Toby Dilworth said the case is part of Maine’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, designed to reduce gun violence in the state.

When he was sentenced Thursday, Fitzherbert was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release once he is freed from prison.

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