Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm was sentenced on November 5, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Christopher Romero, age 42, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Romero was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 9, 2018.  He pled guilty on August 14, 2018.

The conviction stems from an incident on or about March 14, 2017, when the Sioux Falls Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle, in which Romero was a passenger.  A search of the vehicle occurred and law enforcement found a Mossberg Maverick Model 88, .12-gauge caliber pump-action shotgun, bearing no visible serial number, with a barrel less than 18 inches long.

A search was conducted in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and no evidence of Romero’s registration of the shotgun was found.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Nash prosecuted the case.

Romero was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.