Oregon Armed Career Criminal Receives 15-year Prison Term

EUGENE, Ore. – Richard Gene Stephens, 43, of Linn County, Oregon, appeared before United States District Court Chief Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene yesterday and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being an armed career criminal and for possessing a revolver that had been stolen during a burglary of a home by another felon, Mitchell Wayne Brolin.

 On May 13, 2013, Albany police officers arrested Stephens after seeing him in a stolen car.  A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed an overnight bag containing Stephens’ identification documents, syringes, pawn shop receipts, and a stolen revolver.  When arrested, Stephens was wanted for violating his Oregon parole.

 On July 2, 2014, Stephens pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm.  Chief Judge Aiken sentenced him as an armed career criminal because he possessed the stolen revolver after having been previously convicted of robbery, two burglaries and twice delivering methamphetamine.  According to court documents, in the past 24 years, Stephens has been convicted of 18 felonies, including four convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and more than 20 misdemeanors.

 On September 9, 2014, Brolin pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2014, before United States District Court Judge McShane.

 Stephens’ guilty plea, admissions and sentence of 15 years were part of a global plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office and the Linn County District Attorney’s Office.  This case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Albany Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank R. Papagni, Jr. with the assistance of Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Crow.