Bristol County convicted felon on supervised release arrested after ammunition, numerous firearm parts seized

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man has been arrested for unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. At the time of the alleged offense, the defendant was on supervised release for a prior 2021 conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice and Mansfield Police, 48-year-old Michael Kennedy was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and remains detained in federal custody following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.

According to the charging documents, Kennedy had been ordering firearms parts online to be shipped to his residence, including parts utilized to complete and/or manufacture M-16 type and AR-15 type rifle. During a search of his Mansfield residence, it is alleged that numerous privately made firearms frames, a 3D printer and ammunition in varying calibers were located. One firearm, a 5.7 pistol, was allegedly found tucked into the arm of a reclining chair where Kennedy had been sleeping. The pistol was loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition including one round in the chamber. The ammunition allegedly recovered included CBC 9mm ammunition, JAG 9mm ammunition and FN 5.7 x 28mm ammunition.

“We value the partnerships that we have with the US Attorney’s Office and our other federal partners who helped de-escalate an increasingly dangerous situation,” Mansfield Police Chief Ronald Sellon commented.

Kennedy is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to prior convictions in the District of Massachusetts for bank robbery and felon in possession of ammunition and in Norfolk Superior Court for armed robbery and witness intimidation.

The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Mansfield Police Department and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.