An Army veteran from Snohomish has been sentenced to two years in prison for illegal gun possession. Kyle Christopher Benton, 29, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle after being arrested in September 2024. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced the sentence on Wednesday.
Benton was found with unregistered short barrel rifles and machine guns capable of firing multiple rounds with a single trigger pull. He used these weapons to align himself with racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist groups and white supremacist organizations.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin remarked, "You not only illegally possessed extremely dangerous firearms, but you bragged about it and put on firearms trainings for others while doing so."
The FBI investigated Benton following his discharge from the United States Army and threats he made against his wife. The investigation revealed that Benton operated several social media accounts where he posted violent extremist content, neo-Nazi propaganda, and anti-Semitic materials. He also participated in "hate rallies" and gatherings across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to promote his white supremacist views.
On September 6, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Benton's home in Snohomish. They seized a firearm resembling an M16 rifle that fired automatically, an uninstalled drop-in auto sear (which converts a gun into a machine gun), and two rifles with barrel lengths shorter than 16 inches—guns that must be registered under the National Firearms Act.
Benton pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025, to Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.
Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne advocated for a 30-month sentence due to Benton's active engagement with groups promoting racial or ethnic violence and white supremacy during his possession of these weapons. Wynne stated that Benton used firearms along with his military experience to establish himself within these groups by conducting workshops about firearms and holding tactical training sessions for group members.
In court documents submitted by Benton, he now disavows his previous white supremacist views.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Wynne.
