LAS VEGAS, NV – Two Las Vegas residents with extensive criminal records are headed to federal prison after a January 2019 traffic stop exposed a methamphetamine trafficking operation and an illegally possessed handgun. Nicholas Eddards, 36, and Justin Chester, 42, received their sentences Monday from U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey.
Eddards was slapped with 96 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Chester will serve 78 months, also followed by five years of supervised release. Both men pleaded guilty in January 2023 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm – charges that carry significant penalties.
The bust unfolded on January 3, 2019, when Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers pulled over the vehicle carrying Eddards and Chester. A search of the car revealed a 9mm semiautomatic pistol and a quantity of methamphetamine. The discovery triggered a deeper investigation that ultimately linked the two men to a larger drug distribution network.
Eddards isn’t a stranger to the justice system. Court records show prior felony convictions in Nevada for assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by an ex-felon, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Chester also has a criminal history, with prior felony convictions for attempted battery with a deadly weapon and domestic battery. Their repeat offender status clearly factored into the severity of the sentences.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) jointly announced the sentencing. The ATF spearheaded the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Veronda handling the prosecution.
The case was prosecuted under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program aimed at reducing violent crime through coordinated law enforcement efforts. The DOJ has prioritized tackling rising violent crime rates nationwide, and PSN is a key component of that strategy. Anyone with information regarding illegal firearms activity, such as straw purchases, is urged to contact the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS or utilize the ReportIt mobile app.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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