PORTLAND, Maine — A man from Biddeford was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges that he stole 22 firearms from an Auburn business.
Tomas Johnson, 40, was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland to serve 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty April 27, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maine.
Johnson was sentenced for theft from a federally license firearms dealer (FFL), possession of a stolen firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute, the release said.
On Oct. 20, Johnson reportedly visited J.T. Reid's Gun Shop in Auburn where he asked store employees about firearms and handled a semi-automatic assault rifle with a large-capacity magazine. Days later, he threw a rock through the glass door of the business and stole 22 firearms before fleeing the scene, according to the release.
Due to previous felony convictions, Johnson was prohibited from possessing firearms, the release stated.
During an investigation, an undercover officer reportedly called a phone number associated with Johnson and arranged to buy a quantity of cocaine base from him on Oct. 28. Officers reportedly attempted to approach Johnson at the designated location when he fled and discarded a loaded firearm stolen from the Auburn store, the release said.
Johnson was reportedly found in possession of cocaine base at the time of his arrest.
"The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Auburn Police Department and Lewiston Police Department investigated this case," the release stated.