Fayetteville Man Sentenced Under The Armed Career Criminal Act For Felon In Possession Of A Firearm
Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Charlie Foster, age 39, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced yesterday to 210 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for one count of being a Felon In Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, On March 5, 2019, Officers with the Springdale Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a black Toyota Avalon in Springdale Arkansas. The driver later identified as Foster appeared to be extremely nervous while speaking with Officers.
After learning that Foster was on parole with a search waiver on file, he was asked to exit the vehicle and a pat down search was conducted. During the search, Officers located a loaded .45 caliber pistol tucked inside Foster's waistband. The firearm had a round in the chamber. Foster was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2018, and entered a guilty plea in February 2019.
Foster was sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act, which provides a sentencing range of fifteen years to life for individuals who have been convicted of federal gun crimes and have at least three prior felony convictions for crimes of violence and/or serious drug offenses.
This case was prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice=s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, which is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of firearms and improving the safety of residents in the Western District of Arkansas. Participants in the initiative include federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
This case was investigated by the Springdale Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Fire, Tobacco, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.