Convicted Burglar Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Three Rifles and a Shotgun

United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that United States District Court Senior Judge Callie V.S. Granade sentenced Eric Beard to 41 months in prison on December 18, 2017.  The defendant pled guilty to the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on April 26, 2017, a residence in the Mobile area was burglarized.  Among the property stolen from the residence were four firearms:
1. 12 gauge Remington shotgun;
2. .234 caliber New England Rifle;
3. .223 caliber Savage Edge Rifle; and a
4. Thompson rifle.

Law enforcement officials soon suspected Beard of committing the burglary.  Eric Beard was later arrested and provided a statement to police where he admitted to possessing all the stolen firearms in question, but maintained he had no involvement with the burglary.  Beard was also found to be in possession of a television that was from the residence during the burglary; however, Beard would only offer that he received the television set from “a guy he knew from prison.” 

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office looked at area pawnshops and learned that Beard pawned all four stolen weapons on the same day they were reported stolen in the burglary. 

Eric Beard has a prior conviction for burglary in Mobile County, Alabama.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mobile, Alabama Field Office, in conjunction with the Mobile Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Baugh prosecuted the case for the Southern District of Alabama.