Wheat Ridge Felon Sentenced To Nearly 8 Years In Federal Prison For Gun And Drug Possession

DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Aaron Michael Kendall, age 46, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez to serve 95 months (nearly 8 years) in federal prison for convictions of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute heroin.  Following his prison sentence, Kendall will spend 3 years on supervised release.  The defendant appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion.

According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on January 31, 2017, Wheat Ridge Police officers stopped the defendant for suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle.  An inventory search led officers to find approximately 15 grams of heroin, sorted out into four packages.  They also found a 9mm pistol hidden in a compartment of the vehicle.  A digital scale, seven cell phones, and baggies and a counterfeit $20 bill were also recovered.  Kendall was a multiple time convicted felon – including a distribution offense associated with the 211 Crew – a Colorado prison gang.   The firearm had been reported stolen out of Westminster, Colorado in July 2016.

“The federal felon-in-possession statute is a significant tool in allowing us to help local law enforcement get bad actors out of their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn.   “Mr. Kendall apparently didn’t learn his lesson from his previous convictions.  He’ll pay for that with nearly eight more years in federal prison.”

Kendall was first indicted by a federal grand jury on July 12, 2017.  He pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Martinez on April 15, 2019.  He was sentenced on November 27, 2019.

The defendant was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wheat Ridge Police Department.  Kendall was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Bohn.