By Mark LaFlamme,Staff Writer

A Massachusetts man was convicted Thursday of being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with a Porter incident and a 14-hour standoff.

Jesse Leahy, 29, was convicted by a jury at a trial in U.S. District Court in Portland.

According to court records, Leahy shot a 9 mm pistol toward a crowd of people on River Street on July 28, 2003, after he was involved in an argument with several people at a party. Nobody was struck when several rounds were fired toward the group that included several juveniles, according to court records. The shots struck close enough to several people to kick dirt up in their faces, police said at the time.

Early reports were that two people had been shot and police from several agencies responded to the area near Bridge and River streets. By the time officers arrived, Leahy had retreated to his mother’s home at 13 Bridge St. Deputies from Oxford and York counties as well as Maine State Police surrounded the home and cordoned off a half mile area around the house and tried to persuade Leahy and his mother to come outside, police said.

The State Police tactical team joined the standoff and tried to communicate with Leahy using a public address system, telephone, e-mail and faxes. When Leahy refused to respond, as the standoff neared 14 hours, troopers fired tear gas into the single family home, according to police records.

Leahy did not come out of the house immediately, but answered a telephone and gave himself up approximately a half hour later. Police confiscated the 9 mm pistol and a .30-.30 caliber rifle from inside the home, according to court records.

While investigating the case, police learned that Leahy was angry because he had been escorted from a party after others accused him of being disrespectful of a woman hosting the bash. Police said Leahy went home and returned to the party site with the gun.

Police also said an 18-year-old man involved in the fracas required hospital treatment after he was pistol-whipped by Leahy, who was initially charged with aggravated assault and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. He is still awaiting trial in Oxford County Superior Court on those charges.

While investigating Leahy, Oxford County Sheriff’s officials were joined by the Central Maine Violent Crime Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The case was eventually handed over to federal prosecutors after it was learned Leahy was previously convicted of the felony crimes of carrying a dangerous weapon in Massachusetts, assault in Colorado and indecent assault and battery in Massachusetts.

Federal prosecutors chose to try Leahy on the felony gun possession charge for which he was convicted Thursday. Leahy remained in custody Friday while awaiting sentencing.