ALBUQUERQUE - Trevor Lee Thayer, 42, of Silver City, N.M., pleaded guilty this afternoon in Las Cruces federal court to violating the federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a short barreled rifle and unlawfully possessing a silencer.
Thayer was indicted in Feb. 2013, and was charged with (1) unlawful possession of a short barreled rifle, (2) unlawful possession of a silencer, (3) unlawfully manufacturing a silencer, (4) manufacturing marijuana, and (5) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In Aug. 2013, the indictment was superseded to add the additional charge of (6) maintaining premises for the purpose of manufacturing marijuana. According to the superseding indictment, offenses were committed in Grant County, N.M., in Aug. 2012.
During his plea hearing, Thayer entered guilty pleas to Counts 1 and 2 of the superseding indictment charging him with unlawful possession of a short barreled rifle and unlawful possession of a silencer. In his plea agreement, Thayer admitted committing these two offenses on Aug. 15, 2012, in Grant County, N.M., by illegally possessing a grey silencer and a weapon, which was made from a Ruger, Model 10/22,.22 caliber rifle and with a barrel length of less than 16 inches, that were not registered to him in the National Registration and Transfer Record.
At sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled, Thayer faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison on each of the two charges. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Thayer is required to forfeit seven firearms and more than 2000 rounds of ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces offices of the DEA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the New Mexico Motor Transportation Police and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Amanda L. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
