An Idaho Falls man, Joshua Nathan Kelly, 39, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. Kelly was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous felony conviction.
According to court records, on July 15, 2020, officers with the Idaho Falls Police Department were conducting a follow-up investigation on an unrelated theft case when they encountered Kelly at a residence near downtown Idaho Falls. Kelly fled the area when law enforcement attempted to contact him, leaving behind a backpack that contained two stolen firearms and 20 grams of methamphetamine. Kelly was apprehended by law enforcement later the same day.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye took into account that the firearms Kelly possessed were stolen and that Kelly also possessed methamphetamine in connection with possession of the firearms. Judge Nye also ordered Kelly to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his more than six and a half years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Idaho Falls Police Department, which led to charges.
This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.
The EIP SAUSA program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 185 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 21 have been indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 8,062 months (approximately 672 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 53.4 months (4.45 years). Defendants indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm serve, on average, approximately 40.5 months (3.4 years) in federal prison.
Related Federal Cases
- Carlos Lopez-Pinto Sentenced for Unlawful ID Possession, Cedar Rapi… · Idaho
- Kelly Schneider, Hate Crime Murder, Idaho 2023 · Idaho
- Abel Fajardo-Guizar Sentenced to 6 Years for Unlawful Use of ID Doc… · Idaho
- Jess Ramirez-Orta, Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and … · Idaho
- Eastern Idaho Gun and Drug Offenders Face Justice · Idaho
Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News