juneau man convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm
Anchorage, Alaska – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Feldis announced today that after deliberating for less than two hours, a federal jury of four men and eight women found a Juneau man guilty of being a felon in the possession of a firearm.
Jayson Steven Dennis, 34, was found guilty on December 10, 2010. The case was tried before United States District Judge John W. Sedwick, in Juneau.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Jack S. Schmidt, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Dennis, during a drug transaction, possessed a loaded .45 caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun. The jury also convicted Dennis of possessing a .40 caliber Sig Sauer pistol, which was later recovered from a purse from inside a vehicle occupied by Dennis and another individual.
Judge Sedwick scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered continued detention of the defendant.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Juneau Police Department Metro Drug Unit conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dennis.
