PORTLAND – The owner of a Lewiston pawnshop has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to falsifying records in several handgun sales.

Ricky LaChapelle, 37, president of the Lewiston Pawn Shop, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of making false entries into the records of a federally licensed firearms dealer.

The pawnshop is a federally licensed firearms dealer.

LaChapelle falsified records relating to the identity of the buyers of six handguns sold between October 1999 and July 2000, according to court documents.

As a result of the plea agreement, the pawnshop will surrender its federal firearms license and can no longer deal in firearms.

LaChapelle faces up to one year in prison and up to $300,000 in fines.