A convicted felon and member of an anti-government extremist group was sentenced to prison for illegally possessing firearms during a trip to Georgia.
Joshua Colston, 50, of Corinth, Mississippi, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Aug. 15.
Colston previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Oct. 18, 2023.
“Safeguarding our communities from all threats is the top priority of our office and of law enforcement at every level,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary.
FBI agents took Colston into custody in Fitzgerald, Georgia, on Dec. 14, 2022, where Colston went to purchase horses. He told agents that he planned to travel horseback across the country for several years, and he was preparing to go “off the grid.”
Colston, who has prior felony convictions, was found to be in illegal possession of five firearms: a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, a .40 semiautomatic pistol, a .22 semiautomatic rifle, a semiautomatic shotgun and a .44 lever-action rifle.
The semiautomatic rifle was reported stolen in Alcorn County, Mississippi. In addition to the firearms, Colston had a bulletproof vest and more than 3,500 rounds of ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds, in his vehicle. FBI believed that Colston had training in explosives.
This case was investigated by FBI and the Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office.
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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