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Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition following an incident at Adam Food Market in Albuquerque.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on the night of January 24, 2024, officers from the Albuquerque Police Department responded to reports of a man brandishing a handgun during an argument at Adam Food Market on Central Avenue. Surveillance footage from APD's Real Time Crime Center captured most of the incident.
During the altercation, the other individual involved produced a knife. Despite opportunities to disengage, Arthur Steven Stewart retrieved a small pistol and reapproached the other individual, pointing the firearm at him. APD officers arrived on scene and apprehended Stewart, recovering a loaded pistol from his pocket.
Stewart, who was on probation for a previous robbery with a firearm enhancement conviction, initially claimed he had found the gun in the street and was attempting to return it to its owner.
Upon his release from prison, Stewart will be subject to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman made the announcement today.
The Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes is prosecuting this case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program.
The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state.
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