Staff reports 5:18 a.m.
Friday, April 18, 2025 5:19 am

CONCORD - A Laconia man was sentenced on Thursday for distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

Steven Ridgeway, 51, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In January Ridgway pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

"Individuals like the defendant - who choose to traffic illegal drugs and arm themselves despite their prior convictions - demonstrate a brazen disregard for the laws and the safety of our communities. This case underscores the dangerous and persistent threat posed by the combination of methamphetamine and firearms," said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack.

The defendant sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to confidential witnesses over a six-month period, according to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. In addition to selling drugs, Ridgeway also sold two firearms. Ridgeway was prohibited from possessing a firearm by way of a prior felony conviction.

"Steven Ridgway was a one-stop shop for methamphetamine, profiting from other people's pain and addiction. With today's sentence, this previously convicted felon has been held accountable for his blatant disregard for the law," said James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "Getting illegal drugs off the street and illegal firearms out of criminals' hands, like we did in this case, immediately makes our communities safer."