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Felony Firearm Charges Handed to 12-Time Convict
Austin resident Louis Duane Rhyne, 41, remains in federal custody after being charged with multiple firearms offenses. Rhyne, a 12-time convicted felon, waived his arraignment on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to investigators, a federal grand jury indictment unsealed last week charges Rhyne with two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
The indictment alleges that on March 19, 2020, Rhyne possessed a stolen .223 caliber Smith and Wesson model M&P-15 rifle. It is further alleged that on December 29, 2020, Rhyne was in possession of a .38 special caliber Smith & Wesson model 38 revolver.
On December 29, 2020, the U.S. Marshal Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force apprehended Rhyne in Austin. At the time of his arrest, Rhyne was found to be in possession of the loaded .38 caliber revolver. Public court records reveal that Rhyne has accumulated a total of 12 felony convictions in Texas, with charges ranging from assault and organized criminal activity to evading arrest and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Rhyne faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each charge upon conviction. Jury selection and trial are scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 17, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, along with the Austin and Manor Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Undaunted, a program that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, along with prosecution authorities, to tackle violent crime and protect the communities of central and west Texas.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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