In Federal Court 1/17/08

The office of federal prosecutor Catherine Hanaway released the following items.

Pleaded Guilty

• Name: Ryan Blunt
• Age: 33
• Residence: Cape Girardeau
• Charge: Unlawful possession of a firearm
• Summary: On Aug. 1, law enforcement officers searched a residence on North Spanish Street and located a loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson along with 88 rounds of extra ammunition. A woman living at the residence stated that the firearm belonged to Ryan Blunt, a felon. Blunt faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing was set for April 15.
• Name: David J. Ainsworth
• Age: 26
• Residence: Perry County, Mo.
• Charge: Being a felon in possession of a firearm
• Summary: On June 5, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives assisted Perry County officers with an investigation of reports of automatic weapon fire coming from the area of Ainsworth's residence. During the search, they discovered a Mosin-Nagant, Model M-44 7.62 mm, bolt-action rifle, a Mossberg Model 500A, 12-gauge shotgun, and a Bersoa, Model Thunder, .380-caliber pistol. Ainsworth is a felon and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sentenced

• Name: Nathaniel C. Smith
• Age: 21
• Residence: Cape Girardeau
• Charge: Being a felon in possession of a firearm
• Sentence: 57 months
• Summary: On March 29, Smith was stopped in Cape Girardeau County and arrested on unrelated charges. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a Hi-Point, 9 mm pistol. This firearm was used in another offense, resulting in another state conviction for second-degree assault on June 27.