COLORADO MAN CHARGED WITH BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM
Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that NATHANIEL TSOSIE, 34, of Denver, Colorado was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 25, 2021, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on or about February 12, 2021, in Johnson County, Wyoming, Tsosie who is a prior convicted felon, knowingly possessed firearms and brought them across state lines.
He appeared before United States Magistrate Judge R Michael Shickich on April 13, 2021 and pleaded not guilty to the sole charge of the Indictment. A jury trial has been set for June 14, 2021 in Cheyenne before Federal District Court Nancy D. Freudenthal.
A conviction for being felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, a $100 special assessment, and three years of supervised release. The charge against Tsosie is merely an accusation, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson County Attorney’s Office, Buffalo Police Department, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, download the memo.