A Swanzey resident has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for the theft of firearms from a gun shop in Winchester, New Hampshire. The sentencing took place in federal court, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack.
Khale Guillou, aged 20, received his sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliot and will also undergo three years of supervised release following his prison term. In March 2025, Guillou pleaded guilty to stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee.
“The defendant stole 18 guns from an FFL and, just days later, shell casings were found in his car. This case highlights the dangerous link between gun thefts and violent crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “Yesterday’s sentence sends a message that we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who fuel gun violence are held accountable.”
Acting ATF SAC Scott Riordan emphasized the importance of collaboration with industry partners: “ATF’s collaboration with our industry partners forms the first line of defense against firearms trafficking and diversion. ATF prioritizes investigations which both victimize those industry partners and endanger the community by placing guns in criminal hands. This investigation reflects ATF’s commitment to protect federal firearm licensees and ensure firearms in lawful commerce are not diverted for criminal use.”
Court documents reveal that on July 6, 2024, Guillou broke into Trader John’s Gun Shop and stole a total of 18 firearms—17 handguns and one rifle. Nine days later, his vehicle was involved in a shooting incident in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Authorities recovered three stolen firearms from Guillou’s car trunk along with spent shell casings inside the vehicle. Additional stolen weapons were found at Guillou’s residence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation with assistance from local police departments including Keene, Swanzey, Winchester, and Tewksbury. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators through coordinated efforts across various task forces.
