Southern Maine Woman Sentenced for Transferring a Firearm to a Felon

A 50-year-old South Paris woman was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to time served (about two months) for transferring a firearm to a felon.

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 Knightly 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.

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