Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old Aransas Pass resident has been ordered to federal prison for possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Kenny Don Jones pleaded guilty Sept. 21.

Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton handed Jones a sentence of 90 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Jones changed his story with investigators about the shooting over the course of two interviews. In handing down the sentence, the court noted his significant criminal history, including a previous murder conviction and convictions for shooting two other individuals.

On July 20, 2021, authorities learned of a suspicious death. They traveled to the scene and met with the property owner where they found a deceased male subject on the property with a single casing from a discharged round near him in a milk crate.

Jones was also present and eventually reported that the firearm was his and that the deceased male had taken the firearm from his bag and pointed it at him. Jones claimed he wrestled the firearm away from him and took a step back with the gun in hand. According to Jones, the victim lunged at him and Jones fired a round that struck the victim in between the eyes.

Following the shooting, Jones drove to Rockport where he threw the .9mm Smith & Wesson pistol out of his vehicle. He said he knew he was not supposed to have guns.

Law enforcement later obtained the gun Jones described.

Jones has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Aransas Pass Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn prosecuted the case.