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Department of Justice United States Attorney David L. Huber Contact: Sandy Focken |
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April 30, 2008
LOUISVILLE MAN FOUND GUILTY OF BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM
– Vincent Patrick Sherley used gun in holding wife hostage
LOUISVILLE, KY - Vincent Patrick Sherley, age 46, of Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County, was found guilty by a federal jury in United States District Court, Louisville, Kentucky, of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky and Paul Vido, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Louisville Field Division, jointly announced today. The jury’s verdict of guilty was returned following a three-day trial before Charles R. Simpson, III, Judge, United States District Court.
Sherley had been tried for possessing a Intratec 9mm Lugar pistol. In 1990, Sherley had been convicted of fourteen counts of robbery in the first degree, for which he had received a sentence of fifteen years imprisonment. It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
At trial, it was shown that Sherley had held his wife at gunpoint on September 20, 2005 in their home during a standoff with police. Nearly 70 Louisville Metro Police Department personnel responded to the scene, including the SWATT (Special Weapons And Tactical Team) unit and hostage negotiation unit. Sherley finally surrendered to police without any gunfire after nearly five hours. The gun was found hidden in the basement of the house. The gun has been forfeited to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Under federal law, a conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years. However, the United States has charged Sherley under the Armed Career Criminal Act, which requires a term of imprisonment of no less than 15 years and up to life imprisonment, together with a maximum fine of $ 250,000, and supervised release for a period of up to 3 years.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. The Louisville Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in partnership with the Louisville Metro Police Department, as part of ATF’s mandated mission to reduce violent crime and other threats to public safety.
Sherley is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Simpson on July 25, 2008, at 1:30 p.m., in Louisville, Kentucky.
This is a Project Backfire prosecution. Project Backfire is a cooperative effort by the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorneys Office, the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure that firearm offenses are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the state and federal law.
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