Cuban gets 15 years on firearms charges

BANGOR – A Cuban citizen who told a gun dealer he wanted a weapon small enough not to be noticed by police was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Paula D. Silsby.

Cosme Sanchez-Ramirez, 41, was convicted in U.S. District Court of being a felon in possession of a firearm, making false statements in connection with the attempted acquisition of a firearm, and making a false claim of citizenship.

Court records show that in April 2005, Ramirez attempted to purchase a firearm at a licensed firearms dealer in Bangor where he looked at and handled two different handguns.

Ramirez also completed a Firearms Transaction Form stating that he had never been convicted of a felony and that he was a U.S. citizen, Silsby said. The defendant had been convicted of multiple felonies and is a citizen of Cuba.

At the dealer’s, Ramirez placed one of the guns inside his waistband and told the salesman that he needed a gun for protection and wanted one small enough that a police officer walking by would not notice it. Ramirez said that he wanted to be able to hide a weapon so that he could get the “man” before the “man” got him.