Felon Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A felon was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm that had been used in an attempted robbery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada.
Derrick Simmons, 28, of Las Vegas, had pleaded guilty in January 2021 to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro presided over the sentencing hearing.
According to court documents, on or about June 7, 2020, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers recovered a .22 caliber semi-automatic firearm from Simmons’ vehicle. He had previously used the firearm during an attempted robbery on June 6, 2020. Simmons is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction in Clark County for robbery and battery with a deadly weapon.
This case was investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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