An Iraqi national living unlawfully in the United States was arrested in Ellsworth after federal agents say he attempted to buy firearms, including a 9-mm pistol and an AK-47, using falsified information on required background-check paperwork.
U.S. Border Patrol’s Houlton Sector said the man was taken into custody on October 20 in the parking lot of a Home Depot store, following an investigation that began in Holden before he traveled to Ellsworth. Agents say the man had overstayed his visa and was prohibited from possessing or purchasing firearms.
It remains unclear for what purpose the Iraqi was seeking the weapons, though it is common in Iraq for a head of household to own both a sidearm and an automatic rifle for home protection.
Federal law requires all gun buyers to complete a background-check form verifying identity, legal presence, and eligibility. Authorities say discrepancies in the suspect’s paperwork triggered the enforcement action. Providing false information on federal firearm forms is itself a crime, and non-citizens who are not lawfully present in the country cannot legally acquire guns.
The arrest comes during what Border Patrol officials describe as a record-setting year for immigration enforcement in Maine. As of October 1, the Houlton Sector recorded 725 apprehensions of individuals unlawfully present in the U.S., surpassing a previous record set in 2001.
Federal officials have not released additional information on potential charges or next steps in the case.
