Rio Rancho Man Sentenced To Eight And A Half Years In Federal Prison For Violating The Federal Firearms Laws

ALBUQUERQUE – Christopher Rooks, 30, of Rio Rancho, N.M., was sentenced yesterday to 102 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for violating the federal firearms laws. Rooks’ sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales, Thomas G. Atteberry, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Robert Boone of the Rio Rancho Police Department.

Rooks was arrest on Aug. 9, 2012, on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm after ATF agents and officers of the Rio Rancho Police Department executed a search warrant at his residence and seized six firearms. At the time, Rooks was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of two felony offenses in California.

Rooks subsequently was indicted and charged with possession of stolen firearms, possession of an unregistered firearm (a silencer), stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

On Dec. 28, 2012, Rooks pleaded guilty to Counts 2 and 3 of the indictment, charging him with possession of an unregistered firearm and stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee. In entering his guilty plea, Rooks admitted possessing an unregistered silencer on Aug. 9, 2012. Rooks also admitted that on July 25, 2012, he stole five firearms from a federal firearms licensee doing business as the Rio Rancho Armory.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the ATF and the Rio Rancho Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh.