Yesterday, a Louisville resident named Dajuan Simonton, 31, admitted guilt in a federal court for unlawfully possessing a firearm. This development was disclosed by U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, alongside John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Paul Humphrey, Chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Court documents revealed that Simonton acknowledged illegal possession of a Glock, model 41 Gen4, .45 caliber handgun, and ammunition on January 12, 2022. This admission is significant given Simonton's prior felony convictions, which legally prohibit him from possessing firearms.
Simonton's past offenses include convictions on January 14, 2019, in the Jefferson Circuit Court, where he was found guilty of three counts of receiving a stolen firearm. Additionally, on the same date, he was convicted of complicity to possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, specifically methamphetamine, complicity to receiving a stolen firearm, and tampering with physical evidence.
Simonton is currently detained in federal custody and awaits sentencing scheduled for August 5, 2025. If given the maximum sentence, he could face up to 10 years in prison, as there is no parole in the federal system. A U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky will decide the final sentence, taking into account the federal sentencing guidelines and pertinent factors.
The ATF Louisville Field Division and Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) conducted the investigation leading to Simonton's charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez will be handling the prosecution of this case.
This legal proceeding is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and enhancing community safety against violent crimes. The initiative leverages resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
