Steve Coleman Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession

Steve Coleman, 56, of Thoreau, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms—a charge stemming from an incident on January 21, 2016, in McKinley County. The guilty plea, entered in Albuquerque, carries a mandatory sentence of 84 months in federal prison followed by up to three years of supervised release.

Coleman was arrested on February 4, 2016, after law enforcement officers discovered he was in possession of two pistols—firearms he had no legal right to own. His criminal history includes felony convictions for unlawful sale of migratory birds, dangerous use of explosives, and bribery/retaliation against a witness, all of which legally barred him from possessing guns or ammunition under federal law.

On February 24, 2016, Coleman was indicted on two counts: being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). Today’s plea resolves both charges, with Coleman admitting factual guilt to the core firearm possession offense.

During the hearing, Coleman admitted not only to possessing the two handguns but also to discharging one of them at his neighbor’s dogs on the day of the offense. The act, described in court documents, escalated a personal dispute into a federal crime, triggering investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.

The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) out of Albuquerque, the New Mexico State Police, and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department. Their combined efforts led to the recovery of the unregistered weapons and the building of a case that ultimately secured the guilty plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Han is prosecuting the case. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Coleman faces a mandatory 84-month term without parole—a consequence of his repeated violations of public safety and the law.