YOUNGSTOWN - An Austintown man who authorities believe is linked with an investigation into the wounding of a six-year-old Canfield boy now faces federal charges.

Michael Soles, 48, is charged with possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm.

According to a federal indictment unsealed last week, Soles was caught with a Sten machine gun this past August.

Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene said Soles was arrested last month in connection to an incident where a stray bullet struck a six-year-old boy who was playing in a driveway on Orchard Park Drive in Canfield.

The boy was struck in the upper arm as he was playing football with five others.  He was taken to the hospital and recovered.

The sheriff said they are investigating whether Soles was the one who initially fired the shot.

In late August, deputies searched seized ten guns during searches of two homes on Orchard Hill Drive and Maple Spring Drive in Austintown.

The investigation led detectives to a Kirk Road farm north of the area where the stray bullet struck the child.

According to court documents, the property owner of the Kirk Road farm said that "family and friends shoot on the property on a regular basis."

During the course of an interview with detectives, a man was quoted " adamant that his group was indeed responsible for the residence and the boy getting struck with bullet" and "wanted to pay for the damage to the home and the hospital bills for the boy.

Soles was arraigned last week in U.S. District Court and has been freed from jail on a $20,000 bond.