Michael Brownell Sentenced on Drug Sales and Felon Firearm Possession
Summary
Michael Brownell of Franklin, NH was sentenced by Merrimack County Superior Court to 15 to 30 years in state prison on five counts of Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense, with three years of the minimum suspended. The court also sentenced him to 3.5 to 7 years (suspended for 10 years) on two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, and imposed a previously suspended sentence of 6 to 12 years for probation violation.
What changed
Michael Brownell was sentenced following guilty pleas on five counts of Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense, and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence established the defendant made five fentanyl sales totaling approximately 475 grams to a confidential informant between December 2024 and January 2025. The court imposed concurrent sentences totaling 15 to 30 years in state prison, with additional suspended terms on the firearm and probation violation charges.
Criminal defendants, particularly those with prior felony convictions, should be aware that violations involving controlled substance sales and firearm possession carry substantial prison sentences. Law enforcement agencies continue collaborative enforcement efforts targeting drug trafficking networks and illegal firearms possession in New Hampshire.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates
Penalties
15 to 30 years state prison (3 years suspended) on drug charges; 3.5 to 7 years suspended for 10 years on firearm charges; 6 to 12 years for probation violation
Archived snapshot
Apr 11, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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- Michael Brownell Sentenced on Sale of Controlled Drug and Felon in Possession Charges
Press Release For Immediate Release Date: April 10, 2026
Contact Michael S. Garrity, Director of Communications
(603) 931-9375 | michael.s.garrity@doj.nh.gov Joshua L. Speicher, Senior Assistant Attorney General
(603) 271-3671 | Joshua.L.Speicher@doj.nh.gov
Michael Brownell Sentenced on Sale of Controlled Drug and Felon in Possession Charges
Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces that Michael Brownell, of Franklin, New Hampshire, has been sentenced by the Merrimack County Superior Court on five counts of Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Mr. Brownell was also sentenced for violating the terms of his probation on a previous case.
After the defendant pleaded guilty, the court sentenced the defendant to serve 15 to 30 years in state prison on the Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense charges, with three years of the minimum sentence suspended upon successful completion of certain programming while incarcerated. The sentences on each of these five charges will run concurrent with each other. On the charges of being a felon in possession, the court sentenced the defendant to 3 ½ to 7 years in state prison, all of which is suspended for ten years from today’s date.
On a separate case, the defendant admitted that he had violated the terms of his probation, and the court imposed a previously suspended sentence of 6 to 12 years in state prison. This sentence will run concurrently with the sentences for the Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense charges.
The evidence in this case established that between December of 2024 and January of 2025, Mr. Brownell made five sales of fentanyl to a confidential informant. In the aggregate, the defendant sold approximately 475 grams of fentanyl. When he was arrested, the defendant was found to be in possession of two firearms, despite having previously been convicted of a felony.
The investigation and resolution of these cases were the result of collaborative efforts of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office and the New Hampshire State Police’s Narcotics and Investigations Unit.
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