SEATTLE – Rustam Yusupov, 45, of Shoreline, Washington, admitted today to illegally stockpiling ammunition as part of a significant arsenal discovered at a downtown Seattle hotel. The guilty plea, entered in U.S. District Court, puts Yusupov on a path to potentially ten years behind bars, with sentencing scheduled for May 2, 2023, before U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour. U.S. Attorney Nick Brown announced the conviction, a stark reminder of the weapons flooding our streets.
The trouble began March 10, 2022, when Seattle Police responded to reports of a visibly distressed man – Yusupov – requesting help from hotel staff. Officers found his room in chaos, furniture overturned, and the mattress strategically placed to barricade the door. Inside, they discovered two firearms, including a dangerous “ghost gun” – an unregistered weapon devoid of a serial number, making it untraceable. Yusupov’s agitated state necessitated immediate medical attention, but the discovery was far from over.
A sharp-eyed hotel garage worker alerted police to additional weapons located in Yusupov’s vehicle. The car yielded a disturbing collection: an FMK Firearms Model AR-1 Extreme 5.56 NATO caliber rifle, an Aero Precision Model X15 5.56 caliber pistol, a Ruger Model 5.7 5.7x28mm caliber pistol, a Ruger Model 18029 Precision 6.5mm Creedmoor/.308 Winchester Caliber rifle, a Kel-Tec Model Sub 2000 9x19mm caliber rifle, a North American Arms Corp. Derringer .22 revolver, and two untraceable Polymer80 9mm caliber pistols. Adding to the dangerous mix was a skeletonized AR-15 5.56 NATO caliber pistol – another ghost gun.
But the arsenal didn’t stop at the hotel. Court records reveal Yusupov was already under a domestic violence protection order, explicitly prohibiting him from possessing firearms. He’d been ordered by King County Superior Court to surrender his weapons in both March 2020 and May 2021, signing paperwork confirming compliance. A search of his Shoreline home uncovered even more alarming items: two inert grenades, a container for 120mm rocket projectiles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition – including 600 rounds of Israel Military Industries 5.56mm – multiple loaded magazines, pistol slides, a ballistic vest with rifle plates, a bolt-action rifle, and a plethora of firearm accessories.
As part of the plea agreement, Yusupov has agreed to forfeit the seized firearms and ammunition to the government, a small consolation given the potential danger he posed. This case highlights a critical intersection of domestic violence and illegal gun possession, a volatile combination that could have had devastating consequences. The investigation was a joint effort by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF), showcasing the necessity of interagency cooperation in combating gun violence.
Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg is prosecuting the case, determined to hold Yusupov accountable for his actions. This conviction sends a clear message: those who disregard court orders and stockpile weapons, particularly those with a history of domestic violence, will face the full force of federal law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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