Ricardo Sanchez, a 32-year-old resident of Stockton, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents revealed that on August 20, 2023, law enforcement officers found Sanchez with a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Due to multiple prior felony convictions, including conspiracy to commit a crime and inflicting injury on a spouse or cohabitant, Sanchez is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the Sacramento Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy under PSN focusing on community trust, support for violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement priorities, and result measurement.