ROANOKE, VA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Virginia, Western), published as received.
ROANOKE, Va. – A convicted felon, prohibited from possessing firearms due to his previous criminal record, pled guilty yesterday to selling two stolen firearms.
Michael Brandon Smith, 40, of Dublin, Virginia, pled guilty yesterday to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, sometime between January 27, 2025, and February 6, 2025, an acquaintance of Smith stole two firearms from an unoccupied building. The acquittance brought the firearms to Smith at a property owned by Smith’s father.
At the time, Smith understood these firearms were stolen and sought to get them away from his father’s property. Smith took possession of both firearms and sold them to another person.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives recovered both stolen firearms, a Savage Arms .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle and a Hawthorne-Sentry .22 caliber long rifle.
At sentencing, Smtih faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Samuel Ward made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case.
