United States Attorney John M. Bales
Eastern District of Texas

ANDERSON COUNTY MAN SENTENCED FOR FEDERAL GUN CRIMES

            TYLER, Texas – U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 30-year-old Palestine, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas.

            RODERICK WAYNE WHITE pleaded guilty on Nov. 5, 2009, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.  White was also ordered to forfeit his ownership in the firearms and ammunition found at the time of his arrest.

            According to information presented in court, on May 12, 2009, White was found in possession of four firearms and ammunition.  Further investigation revealed White was a convicted felon, having been previously convicted in Dallas County of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in 1997 and tampering with physical evidence in 2008.  As a convicted felon, White is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.  White was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2009, and charged with federal gun crimes.

            This conviction is yet another important outcome from Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national priority of the United States Department of Justice. PSN is designed as a partnership between federal and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun-related crime through the vigorous enforcement of the criminal provisions of the federal firearms laws.

            This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Service and the Anderson County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Ann Cozby.

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