ALBANY COUNTY, WY – Christopher Ray Edwards, 37, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, is headed to federal prison for 70 months after pleading guilty to receiving ammunition while under felony indictment. Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl handed down the sentence on March 8, 2023, along with three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
The case began unraveling on June 4, 2022, when Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers pulled Edwards over on Interstate 80 near Albany County on suspicion of driving under the influence. The routine traffic stop quickly escalated when a search of Edwards’ vehicle revealed a disturbing cache: a homemade AR-15 style rifle and multiple rounds of various ammunition. It wasn’t just the illegal weaponry that landed Edwards in hot water; a subsequent check of his record exposed a troubled past.
Edwards wasn’t simply a gun enthusiast. He was already a convicted felon, with a history of prior felony convictions. Even more damning, he was actively under indictment in South Carolina for another felony offense at the time he was caught with the weapons and ammo. The combination proved to be a federal crime – being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Originally facing charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and receiving ammunition while under a felony indictment, Edwards ultimately reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He admitted guilt to the charge of receiving ammunition while under indictment, a move that secured a lighter sentence than he might have faced had he gone to trial on all counts.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wyoming Highway Patrol jointly investigated the case, meticulously piecing together the evidence that led to Edwards’ conviction. Assistant United States Attorney T.J. Forwood handled the prosecution, arguing for a substantial sentence to reflect the seriousness of the crime and the danger Edwards posed.
Case No. 22-CR-00054-ABJ highlights the ongoing efforts of federal and state agencies to keep illegal firearms off the streets and to hold accountable those who attempt to arm themselves while already facing criminal charges. Edwards’ 70-month sentence sends a clear message: attempting to skirt the law won’t pay, especially when dealing with dangerous weapons.
Related Federal Cases
- Frank Ray Berris, Felon in Possession of Firearms, Wyoming 2024 · Nevada
- Fred Deshawn Edwards, Felon in Possession of Firearm, SC 2024 · South Carolina
- Jeff Landry, Firearm Purchase Tracking, Louisiana 2024 · Alaska
- Douglas Haig, Unlicensed Ammunition Manufacturing, Arizona 2024 · Nevada
- Charles Michael Carsten, Felon in Possession, Wyoming 2023 · Nevada
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