Cape Cod Man Faces Prison Time For Cache Of Assault Weapons

FALMOUTH, MA — An East Falmouth man faces major weapons charges for unlawfully possessing assault weapons, ammunition and silencers, the state Attorney General announced.

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell recently announced a series of charges against Scott LaPanne, 46 of East Falmouth. LaPanne was arrested on February 29, 2024, as a result of a multi-agency investigation into his unlawful possession of weapons.

He was arraigned the following day in Falmouth District Court on six counts of possession of an assault weapon, 14 counts of possession of a firearm without a l or firearms identification card, 23 counts of possession of a large capacity weapon, two counts of possession of a silencer and possession of ammunition without a license to carry.

Homeland Security Investigations’ New England Cyber Crimes Group started an investigation into possible firearm parts purchased online by LaPanne. He then became the target of an investigation, led by the Attorney General’s Office, HSI New England Cyber Crimes Group, Customs and Border Patrol and United States Postal Investigative Services, into the unlawful possession of firearms and his suitability to hold a Massachusetts Firearms License to Carry.

The investigation revealed that since 2019, LaPanne purchased approximately 50 firearms-related items.

“I am deeply proud of the work conducted by my office and our partnership with Homeland Security and other federal law enforcement agencies in this case,” said AG Campbell. “As we work to protect our residents and children, removing unlawfully possessed weapons including assault weapons and large capacity magazines off the streets will continue to be a priority for the office.”

On the morning of February 29, 2024, Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to the Attorney General’s Office, federal law enforcement officers assigned to Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service arrested LaPanne for operating a vehicle with a suspended license.

Following the arrest, a search warrant for LaPanne’s residence was obtained and investigators subsequently located a cache of weapons and ammunition within the residence. The following evidence was seized under the search warrant:

• Seven AR-15 style rifles
• One AK-47 rifle
• 1 .22 bolt action rifle
• Three shotguns
• 1 .303 bolt action rifle
• Eight handguns
• Twenty-three large capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition
• Two silencers
• "Hundreds" of rounds of various caliber ammunition

Possession of an assault weapon carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of one year. Possession of a large-capacity weapon carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of two and one-half years.