Gang member sentenced to seven years for illegal firearm possession

Nicholas Addleman, a longtime member of the San Francisco Mission District Norteños, has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. The sentence was delivered by U.S. District Judge James Donato.

Court documents reveal that Addleman, 38, of Vallejo, California, previously served five years in state custody following convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and shooting at an inhabited dwelling. After being released on parole in July 2022, a parole search of Addleman's vehicle on October 14, 2022, led to the recovery of two Glock firearms. One of the firearms was found with a loaded extended magazine in a hidden compartment behind the vehicle's center console. Addleman admitted the firearms were his, and his DNA was located on one of the guns' grips.

Charged in November 2022 with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), Addleman pleaded guilty in September 2023. Although originally scheduled for sentencing in February 2024, Addleman absconded, leading to a bench warrant for his arrest. Upon his December 2024 arrest, authorities found multiple assault rifles, large-capacity magazines, and suspected gun silencers at his residence.

Judge Donato has also ordered Addleman to serve three years of supervised release and to forfeit the seized firearms and ammunition. This case was announced by Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crimes and gun violence.

The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leif Dautch with Nina Burney's assistance, is the result of a collaborative investigation involving the FBI, the San Francisco Police Department, and Vallejo Police Department. Additionally, the case aligns with the efforts of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, a multi-agency initiative targeting high-level criminal networks.