Oakland Resident Sentenced To Nine Years In Prison For Being A Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

OAKLAND – Anton Coker was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment today after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, United States District Judge, following a guilty plea entered on April 19, 2016. 

As part of his plea agreement, Coker, 42, of Oakland, admitted he had previous felony convictions which prevented him from being entitled to legally possess firearms or ammunition.  Nevertheless, between June 30, 2015, and July 31, 2015, Coker possessed and sold to a confidential informant and undercover agents a total of five guns and ammunition.  During the same period, Coker also sold crack cocaine from his Oakland residence.  On August 17, 2015, agents executed a search warrant at Coker’s residence and the storage unit next to it.  In the storage unit, agents seized two more handguns and ammunition that Coker admitted belonged to him. 

Coker was indicted on August 27, 2015, and charged with four counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).  Pursuant to his plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to one count and admitted the conduct underlying the other three counts, which were dismissed.  

Judge White also sentenced Coker to a three-year period of supervised release, to commence after Coker completes his prison sentence.  Coker has been in custody since his arrest in January of 2016.  He will begin serving his sentence immediately.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Lerman is prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Barton and Jeanne Carstensen.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF with the assistance of the United States Marshal’s Service.