BANGOR, Maine: A former Ellsworth resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Judge John A.
Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Karissa Beam, 36, to three years in jail to be followed by three years of supervised release. Beam pleaded guilty on January 8, 2026. According to court records, Beam was encountered by a Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy in an area of Trenton, Maine, known to have a high incidence of drug related activities. Beam, who was on state probation for a prior robbery conviction, was searched by police and found in possession of a Taurus handgun and a Glock handgun.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S.
Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.###