Newton resident James Welch has pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

In February, police reportedly found a rifle and a pistol, along with ammunition, in his house on Crescent Street.

In addition to pleading guilty, Welch forfeited the items involved in the crime: a Taurus G3 9-milimeter caliber pistol, a Hammerli .22 long-range caliber rifle, three rounds of Remington 9-millimeter ammunition, a magazine containing fifteen rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition, and a magazine containing ten rounds of .22 long-range ammunition.

US District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11. Welch could be sentenced to serve up to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a special assessment of $100, and a fine of $250,000. Because he has previous felony convictions for firearms related offenses, his crime carries greater weight, as does the fact that one of the firearms was stolen.

However, pleading guilty generally results in a lesser sentence as compared to not doing so. The U.S. Attorney’s Office plans to recommend sentencing at the lower end of the guidelines, although the decision is ultimately up to the discretion of the judge. Welch agreed to give up his right to later challenge his conviction or sentencing on direct appeal, in part due to the concessions offered by the US Attorney’s Office.

The Assistant US Attorney Eric Hawkins is prosecuting the case.

“The Newton Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation,” said the US Attorney’s Office in Boston.

Welch’s lengthy criminal history includes several incidents in Newton, including a 2014 conviction in Newton for larceny of a motor vehicle and a 2016 conviction in Newton for breaking and entering.