Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A convicted felon pleaded guilty today to possession of a sawed-off shotgun found during a traffic stop in Searchlight, Nevada, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Ronald Allen Class, Jr, 31, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 30, 2021.

According to court documents and admissions made in court by Class, on October 28, 2020, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer stopped a car that was travelling more than 50 miles per hour on a 25 mile per hour section of U.S. Highway 95 through Searchlight. While speaking with the driver, the officer noticed that a passenger in the back seat was agitated. Turning his attention to the backseat passenger, the officer saw a sawed-off shotgun on the floor at the man’s feet. The officer secured the shotgun — a Remington 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, loaded with a round in the chamber — and took the man into custody. The man initially provided a false name, but the officer was able to identify him as Class. Class is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions.

During the stop, the officer also discovered that: (a) the car had been stolen, and (b) three of the four people in the car, including Class, had an outstanding arrest warrant.

The maximum statutory penalty Class faces is 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a monetary fine.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.

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