Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge at Salem Traffic Stop

Gordon Potter, 35, formerly of Hampstead, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to being a felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms and ammunition, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.

On Feb. 26, 2015, Salem Police Detective Robert Genest conducted a traffic stop on a 2008 grey Nissan Sentra, according to a press statement. While standing at the driver’s side door of the vehicle, Detective Genest observed a large hunting knife tucked into the side of the seat next to Potter’s left leg. Genest subsequently determined that Potter was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing the knife. Genest asked Potter to exit the vehicle and he noticed Potter trying to conceal a hypodermic needle in the palm of his left hand.

Genest conducted a search of the defendant, incident to his arrest, and found a small bottle containing a baggy of a brown, powdery substance and five white pills in the defendant’s front pocket. A subsequent lab analysis determined the brown, powdery substance contained the controlled substances heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine. The pills tested positive for 1 mg of lorazepam.

A search warrant was executed on the vehicle and the detectives found a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun; a modified Kel-Tec pistol with silencer; ammunition for the two firearms; a red backpack containing male clothing, a fully loaded magazine to a Springfield .45 caliber pistol and several .45 caliber rounds at the bottom of the backpack; four cell phones, and three laptop computers. The firearms were later determined to be stolen.

On Dec. 20, 2004, Potter was convicted of Burglary in Belknap County Superior Court Docket Number 04-S-324, a crime punishable by more than one (1) year imprisonment. Potter was also convicted of Forgery on June 20, 2006 in Belknap County Superior Court Docket Number 01-S-462, a crime punishable by more than one (1) year imprisonment.

Potter faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. Potter is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10, 2015. Potter was detained pending sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Salem Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.