REPEAT OFFENDER SENTENCED TO 6+ YEARS IN PRISON FOR GUN POSSESSION
Defendant with Lengthy Criminal History Possessed Firearms on Two Different Occasions
MARCUS LAMONT WEATHERSPOON, 33, of Stanwood, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing prosecutors told the court that WEATHERSPOON has 23 prior convictions. “The only thing that stops him is being incarcerated,” Special Assistant United States Attorney Andy Colasurdo told U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour, who imposed the sentence.
According to records filed in the case, WEATHERSPOON was arrested in July 2008, following a traffic stop. WEATHERSPOON was found to have a KelTec, .32 caliber, semi-automatic pistol in his pocket. Three months later, WEATHERSPOON pawned a stolen .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol at a Mount Vernon pawn shop. WEATHERSPOON is prohibited from possessing firearms because of these previous convictions in Snohomish County: attempted robbery, 2000; second degree robbery, 2000; possession of stolen property, 2005; two convictions for unlawful issuance of bank checks, 2006; forgery 2006; and possession of stolen property 2006.
WEATHERSPOON was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. Unveiled in May 2001, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), is a comprehensive and strategic approach to gun law enforcement. PSN is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America by networking both new and existing local programs that target gun crime and then providing them with the resources and tools they need to succeed. Implementation at the local level -- in this case, in Snohomish County-- has fostered close partnerships between federal, state and local prosecutors and law enforcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Everett Police Department and the Mount Vernon Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Andy Colasurdo. Mr. Colasurdo is a Deputy King County Prosecutor, specially designated to prosecute gun crimes in federal court.
For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@USDOJ.Gov.
