U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs | U.S. Department of Justice
A Hamshire resident has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Willie Dean Nelson, III, aged 32, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and received a sentence of 105 months in federal prison from U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 14, 2025.
Court records indicate that on October 26, 2022, law enforcement responded to a robbery at the Beaumont Fastlane convenience store. The caller provided a vehicle description, and witnesses reported that the suspect was armed. Officers located the vehicle nearby and observed Nelson exiting it. A pistol was found lying a few feet in front of the vehicle. Nelson admitted to discarding the firearm upon seeing the officers because he was a convicted felon prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a joint initiative involving federal, state, and local agencies aimed at reducing violent crime. PSN is recognized as an effective evidence-based program for addressing violent crime issues through collaboration among various stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions. The program emphasizes targeting violent offenders while partnering with local prevention and reentry programs for sustainable crime reduction.
The investigation was conducted by the Beaumont Police Department and the FBI, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
