William Lesley, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, California 2024

Law enforcement officers in California have arrested a Texas man for possession of a firearm as a felon. William Lesley, 34, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to the charges on an unspecified date. According to court documents, officers conducted a parole search in Galt, California, at the residence of Lesley's co-defendant, Dexter Weeks, a known felon on parole.

During the search, officers found a loaded Ruger pistol in a bedroom where Lesley had exited. The pistol was located in a backpack on the floor near the bed. Weeks and Lesley are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because they each have multiple state felony convictions.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.

Lesley is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Weeks pleaded guilty on January 30, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on August 6, 2024. Both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The actual sentences will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The program brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy in 2021, strengthening Project Safe Neighborhoods based on core principles such as fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations, and setting focused enforcement priorities.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/texas-man-pleads-guilty-possession-firearm-felon