PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Anthony Jenkins, 52, formerly of Providence, was sentenced today to 5 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of six firearms, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Jenkins to serve 3 years supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Jenkins pleaded guilty on May 24, 2016, to being a felon in possession of six firearms.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, in November 2015, members of an ATF task force became aware of Jenkins plans to steal several firearms with the intent to sell some of them to a person recently released from prison. On November 5, 2015, Jenkins, accompanied by an ATF undercover task force agent, traveled to a storage unit facility in Cranston where Jenkins believed numerous firearms and assorted ammunition were being stored inside a locked unit. Jenkins cut off the lock and removed six firearms and assorted ammunition. Jenkins was detained by members of the task force immediately after he took possession of the firearms and the ammunition.
According to court records and information presented to the court, Jenkins’ previous adult criminal history includes 19 convictions for felony theft offenses.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The ATF Task Force consists of agents and officers from ATF; Providence, Cranston and Central Falls Police Departments; and the Special Investigations Unit at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
