A South Yarmouth resident, Michael Giampapa, has been sentenced to 45 months in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition. This sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns in federal court in Boston. Giampapa will also face three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Giampapa, aged 33, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges stem from an incident on March 16, 2022, when police responded to a domestic disturbance call at a residence involving Giampapa and a family member. Upon arrival, law enforcement found Giampapa barricaded in the basement. During negotiations with family members over the phone, he admitted to having a gun. After a standoff with police, he surrendered and was taken into custody.
A search of the premises revealed a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard .380 handgun hidden inside a cereal box on open shelving in the basement. It was determined that Giampapa had prior convictions for crimes punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year.
The announcement regarding the sentencing was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Boston Field Division; and Chief Kevin Lennon of the Yarmouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus from the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities they serve. Additionally, it falls under Project Guardian—an initiative launched by the Department of Justice to enforce federal firearms laws and enhance coordination among various authorities.