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Rio Rancho Man Stole Guns
A Rio Rancho man was sentenced to 102 months in federal prison for violating federal firearms laws. Christopher Rooks, 30, of Rio Rancho, N.M., was found guilty of stealing five firearms from a federal firearms licensee doing business as the Rio Rancho Armory in July 2012.
The theft occurred on July 25, 2012. Rooks was arrested on Aug. 9, 2012, on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Agents from the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and officers from the Rio Rancho Police Department executed a search warrant at Rooks’ residence and seized six firearms.
Rooks was previously convicted of two felony offenses in California, making him prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. He was subsequently indicted on charges of possession of stolen firearms, possession of an unregistered firearm (a silencer), stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Rooks pleaded guilty to Counts 2 and 3 of the indictment, charging him with possession of an unregistered firearm and stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee. In entering his guilty plea, Rooks admitted to possessing an unregistered silencer on Aug. 9, 2012.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the ATF and the Rio Rancho Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh. U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales, Thomas G. Atteberry, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Division of the ATF, and Chief Robert Boone of the Rio Rancho Police Department announced Rooks’ sentence.
Rooks will face three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. His sentence is a result of violating federal firearms laws, specifically stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and possessing an unregistered firearm. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of following federal firearms laws and the consequences of violating them.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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