Denton County Man Sentenced For Firearms Arsenal

PLANO, Texas - A 39-year-old Lewisville, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

            Scott Travis Whittington pleaded guilty on Nov. 1, 2012, to possessing unregistered firearms, smuggling goods from the United States and embezzlement of government property and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on June 13, 2013 by U.S. District Judge Richard Schell.

According to information presented in court, from January 2008 through September 2012, Whittington was in possession of two firearms that were not properly registered to him and stolen military property, specifically 27 M249 squad automatic weapon short barrels; 1,348 5.56 mm 30-round magazines; a fifty-caliber M2 machine gun barrel, two M2 machine gun tripods; five Small Arms Protective Insert plates; medic sets; approximately 61 cases of Meals Ready to Eat; and a destructive device.  Whittington was also found to have illegally exported a night vision weapon sight in January 2008.

Additionally, Whittington was found to be in possession of 405,331 rounds of ammunition, 26 silencers, and 158 firearms.  When questioned about the large amount of ammunition during sentencing, Whittington responded that he was, “saving up for a rainy day,” and that he thought he had, “more like 700,000 rounds of ammunition.”

Whittington was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 12, 2012. 
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition and body armor, and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Defense.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Batson.