ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION

PHOENIX – On April 2, 2012, Selso Randy Orona, 59, of Phoenix, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton to 15 years in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. On Jan. 11, 2012, a federal jury found Orona guilty of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.

At trial, the jury found that Orona possessed a homemade weapon, commonly known as a “zip gun.” Evidence at trial established that there was one round of hollow point ammunition lodged in the barrel of the zip gun and three additional rounds affixed to it. Because the jury found that Orona had a previous conviction for Attempted Aggravated Assault and two previous Aggravated Assault convictions, he was sentenced to the mandatory minimum 15 years in prison under the federal armed career criminal statute.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Phoenix Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Sheila Phillips and Christina Covault, Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-11-856-PHX-SRB   
RELEASE NUMBER:   2012-083(Orona)

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/