DENVER, CO – Dakota Ryan Halley, 28, of Colorado Springs, is facing a potential prison sentence after admitting to illegally possessing a cache of explosive devices. The bust, spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), revealed a dangerous operation fueled by the sale of unregistered hand grenades and a disturbing amount of military-style weaponry.
The investigation kicked off in early May 2022 when ATF agents received intel about Halley and his co-defendant, Dalton Turner, stockpiling explosives. An undercover agent quickly arranged a purchase, securing one grenade and a shotgun from Halley on May 12th. The deal wasn’t a one-time transaction; Halley agreed to sell more, and a second exchange took place on May 21st.
But the second sale was far from simple. Agents observed Halley and Turner staging a tactical operation, loading vehicles with bulletproof vests and firearms. Turner and a female accomplice acted as lookouts, communicating with Halley via radio as he conducted the sale in a garage, decked out in body armor and armed with a firearm. The agent walked away with six grenades, a chilling testament to Halley’s willingness to arm others with destructive power.
Halley’s arrest on June 8, 2022, led to a raid of the apartment he shared with Turner. ATF agents uncovered a staggering arsenal: 32 explosive devices, numerous firearms, and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition. Crucially, none of these destructive devices were registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR), a clear violation of federal law.
Halley pleaded guilty before Judge Daniel D. Domenico on March 6, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2023. His accomplice, Dalton David Turner, already pleaded guilty on January 26, 2023, and will face sentencing on April 19, 2023. The case, handled by the Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime.
This isn’t just about illegal weapons; it’s about a dangerous individual and his network prepared for something far beyond legal firearm ownership. The case number is 22-cr-00183-DDD. The ATF Denver Division led the investigation, highlighting the ongoing battle against the proliferation of unregistered and deadly explosives in our communities.
Related Federal Cases
- Leon Askew, Firearm Possession, Colorado Springs, 2022 · Colorado
- David Michael Ansberry, Explosive Device Planting, CO, 2023 · Illinois
- Abel Montoya, Guns-for-Drugs Trafficking, Colorado 2024 · Colorado
- Richard Valdez, Silencer Possession, Colorado 2023 · Nevada
- Richard Wyatt, Conspiracy to Deal in Firearms, Colorado 2017 · Illinois
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