Benjamin Wheeler, a 20-year-old resident of Norwich, New York, received an eight-month federal prison sentence for the unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, alongside Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the FBI, and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the ATF.
Wheeler had pleaded guilty to possessing a Spikes Tactical AR-15 style rifle with a barrel length under sixteen inches on August 6, 2024. The firearm was found at his apartment in Norwich and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
In addition to his prison term, Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd imposed a three-year supervised release period for Wheeler following his imprisonment.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, ATF, NYPD, New York State Police, and Chenango County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown led the prosecution.