Southern Maine Woman Pleads Guilty to Firearms Charge

A 50-year-old South Paris woman pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to transferring a firearm to a felon. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to court records, on August 16, 2014, Stephanie Knightly purchased a pistol in Scarborough, Maine. The private sale was arranged by Steven Piirainen, a person she knew to be a felon. Piirainen accompanied her to the sale and gave her cash to purchase the pistol.

After the sale, Piirainen took the firearm. The next day, after stealing a truck, Piirainen engaged in a shootout with the Maine State Police in South Paris, was shot, and died. Prior to the shootout, Piirainen told Knightly that he knew his probation officer was going to arrest him soon and that he was “never going back” to prison.

Knightly faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after completion of a pre-sentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police; the Lewiston Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.