A man from Hamshire has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation, according to U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Willie Dean Nelson, III, aged 32, was sentenced to 105 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 14, 2025.
Court records indicate that the incident took place on October 26, 2022, when law enforcement responded to a robbery at a Beaumont Fastlane convenience store. Witnesses described the suspect as armed and provided details about the vehicle involved. Officers located the vehicle nearby and observed Nelson exiting it. A pistol was found a few feet away from the vehicle. Nelson admitted to discarding the firearm upon seeing the officers because he was aware of his status as a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a collaborative effort involving federal, state, and local agencies aimed at reducing violent crime through evidence-based strategies. PSN focuses on targeting violent offenders while partnering with prevention and reentry programs for sustainable crime reduction.
The investigation was conducted by the Beaumont Police Department and the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove handling prosecution duties.