FARMINGTON — A Carthage man who had faced a state charge of felony possession of a firearm by a prohibited person has had his case transferred to a federal court.
On Dec. 14, an arrest warrant was issued out of U.S. District Court in Bangor for Michael Creig Ringer, 49, after a federal indictment on a felony charge of felon in possession of a firearm.
Ringer, 49, pleaded not guilty to the federal charge Dec. 21, 2018, and was scheduled to go to trial in March.
Ringer was arrested by Wilton police on Aug. 18, 2018, after an investigation. Witnesses told police that Ringer and others had been drinking Aug. 17 at a residence on Route 133 in Wilton. There was a verbal argument, and Ringer was accused of pointing a handgun toward people at the residence, according to an affidavit filed in a Farmington court. He left the residence on foot.
Ringer’s probation officer authorized a search for alcohol at Ringer’s residence in Carthage, because he is barred from having it. Police found several empty alcohol containers, unopened containers, and a handgun during the Aug. 18 search, according to a police affidavit.
At the time of his arrest, Ringer was on probation for a September 2015 felony conviction of violation of condition of release in a separate matter. He was sentenced in that case to serve 11 months of a four-year sentence followed by two years probation.
He admitted to a probation violation in September 2018 at a Farmington court.
He was held on $25,000 cash bail at the Franklin County Detention Center.
The U.S. District Court issued an arrest warrant for Ringer on Dec. 13 following an indictment on a felony charge of a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment document, Ringer has several previous convictions including possession of a firearm by a felon.
The document also states Ringer knowingly possessed a Hi-Point brand, CF 380 model, .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol on Aug. 18, 2018. If Ringer is convicted, the gun is subject to forfeiture.
A conviction on the federal charge is punishable by a maximum 10 years in prison.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
Michael Ringer (Franklin County Detention Center)
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