Jury Convicts Reno Felon Of Unlawful Possession Of A Firearm

RENO, Nev. – A jury sitting in northern Nevada convicted a felon of a federal firearm violation, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.

Clifton James Jackson, 55, of Reno, was found guilty of felon in possession of a firearm. He has a prior conviction for felon in possession of a firearm in Nevada. United States District Judge Howard D. McKibben scheduled a sentencing hearing on July 10, 2019.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, in December 2018, a deputy with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting a man holding a handgun while walking towards a business. Gunshots were also reported by the caller. As responding law enforcement officers located and pursued a truck driven by the suspect, the deputy observed an object being thrown from the truck. When additional units arrived on scene, Jackson and a juvenile were arrested. A subsequent search of the truck and the area where the object had been thrown revealed a 7.65mm semi-automatic pistol and a box of .32 caliber ammunition. A records check of the recovered firearm revealed that it had been stolen in Plumas County, California in May 2018.

The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Rachow and Randy St. Clair are prosecuting the case.

To report a tip about a stolen firearm contact the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-3473).

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.

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