Robert Twiss, 58, of Earlton, New York, is behind bars and facing federal time after being charged with unlawful possession of a rifle — a crime that hits hard in a state with strict gun laws. The Greene County man was hit with a federal criminal complaint accusing him of possessing a Plainfield M-1 rifle at his residence on October 24, 2016, a move that violates federal law due to his status as a convicted felon.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albany Division. Authorities made the arrest after an investigation uncovered evidence linking Twiss directly to the weapon. While the charge is an accusation, federal prosecutors are moving fast — and they’re not cutting breaks for old convictions.
The criminal complaint lays it bare: Twiss possessed a functioning rifle in his Greene County home. That’s all it takes under federal statute when the owner has a prior felony record. The law doesn’t care about intent — possession alone is the trigger. And for Twiss, that could mean a decade in prison.
Twiss appeared in federal court in Albany before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, who ordered him detained pending trial. No bond. No walk-out. The decision signals prosecutors’ intent to push forward aggressively, treating the case as a clear-cut violation of federal firearms statutes meant to keep guns out of the hands of violent offenders.
If convicted, Twiss faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. Sentencing will hinge on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the specifics of the charge, and judicial discretion — but with the FBI involved and federal prosecutors locked in, the odds are stacking against him.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss. No trial date has been set, but one thing’s clear: in the federal system, felons caught with firearms don’t get second chances — just court dates.
Related Federal Cases
- Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun Possession · New York
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- Amsterdam Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Short-Barreled Rifle · New York
- Greene County Felon Cops 24 Months for Gun Possession · New York
- Nevada Felon Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession · Nevada
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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