BJ Jaquez Rice, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Nebraska 2023

Lincoln Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Gun Charges

A Lincoln, Nebraska man, BJ Jaquez Rice, 30, has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Rice was sentenced on July 18, 2023, after pleading guilty to the offense on February 15, 2023.

The charges stem from an incident on March 11, 2022, when a Lincoln Police Department officer stopped a vehicle in downtown Lincoln. The officer noticed a strong odor of burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle and performed a search, resulting in the discovery of two handguns: a Smith & Wesson, model M&P M2 Shield, .380 caliber handgun tucked between the driver's seat and the center console, and a Glock, model 19, 9mm caliber handgun underneath the front passenger seat.

Rice provided a false name, date of birth, and stated that he had an identification issued to him in Florida. After his arrest, police discovered his true name and that he had prior felony convictions in North Carolina.

Rice will begin a three-year term of supervised release after his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Lincoln Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ne/pr/lincoln-man-sentenced-87-months-possessing-firearm