Chris Pham, a 21-year-old resident of Honolulu, Hawaii, has been charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 20, 2025.
According to court documents, law enforcement encountered Pham on March 12, 2025, carrying a fully loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun with a defaced serial number and an additional magazine containing 13 rounds of ammunition. During a search of his residence, authorities found a machine gun conversion device intended to convert a semiautomatic handgun into a fully automatic weapon. An Instagram video previously showed Pham firing such a weapon into the air in public.
If found guilty of the charge, Pham could face up to fifteen years in prison and fines reaching $250,000. However, "the charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation," Sorenson stated. "The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law." Sentencing would be determined by statutory factors and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines if there is a conviction.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation leads the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Honolulu Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara D. Ayabe will prosecute the case.
This incident falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.