Pahrump Man Sentenced To A Total Of 15 Years In Prison For Selling Stolen Firearms Including A High-Powered Rifle
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Pahrump, Nevada, man was sentenced today to a total of 180 months in federal prison for selling a stolen revolver and a stolen semi-automatic rifle with a large capacity magazine, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
Paul Scott Nelson, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro. He pleaded guilty in September 2017 to two counts of possession of a stolen firearm. Nelson has six prior felony convictions, including convictions for Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Battery with a Deadly Weapon, and Aggravated Stalking.
According to court documents, Nelson admitted that on December 8, 2014, he sold a stolen Dan Wesson .357 caliber revolver to an undercover ATF officer. Then, on February 6, 2015, he sold a stolen Norinco SKS 7.62 caliber semi-automatic rifle, along with a 30-round high capacity magazine, a tri-pod, and an optional wooden stock. The semi-automatic rifle is capable of accepting a large capacity magazine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip N. Smith Jr. prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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