One Fresno Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearms; Another Pleads Guilty to Being an Armed Career Criminal

FRESNO, Calif. —Troy Franklin, 34, of Fresno, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge  Lawrence J. O'Neill to seven years and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm, and Stephen Walker, 42, of Fresno, pleaded guilty to being an armed career criminal, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents in the first case, Franklin, who is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction, illegally purchased an AR-15 rifle with a barrel length of less than 16 inches. Police tried to conduct a traffic stop on the black Range Rover Franklin was driving after the purchase, and Franklin fled. He stopped the car and ran, and police found him hiding in a nearby apartment. They found the short-barreled rifle inside of a towel on the back passenger seat of the Range Rover. They also seized a Glock pistol Franklin left in the apartment where he had been hiding. This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Kimberly A. Sanchez prosecuted the case.

According to court documents in the second case, Walker possessed a Jennings pistol and ammunition after having three prior felony convictions for infliction of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Ross Pearson are prosecuting the case.

Walker’s sentencing has been set for May 21, 2018, before Judge O’Neill. Walker faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

These cases are the product of Project SAFE Neighborhoods investigations. PSN is a nationwide strategy for using existing resources to most effectively combat violent crime in partnership with state, local and tribal law enforcement and the communities we serve.