A federal jury in Salt Lake City has found Michael Anthony Rangel, a 42-year-old resident of Ogden, Utah, guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The verdict was reached on Thursday.
Rangel was indicted in September 2022 following an incident in July of the same year. During that time, officers from the Ogden Metro Gang Task Force conducted a traffic stop where Rangel was a passenger. Despite being aware of his status as a convicted felon, Rangel possessed a Taurus PT111 G2 pistol along with ammunition. It was later confirmed that the firearm had been manufactured outside Utah and transported through interstate commerce.
Sentencing for Rangel will be scheduled at a later date before U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse located in downtown Salt Lake City.
The announcement regarding the guilty verdict was made by United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins from the District of Utah.
The investigation into this case is being conducted by the Ogden Metro Gang Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Branden B. Miles and Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough are responsible for prosecuting the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing gun violence and other violent crimes by uniting various levels of law enforcement with communities to enhance safety and trust within neighborhoods. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, focusing on building community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
For further details about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit Justice.gov/PSN.