Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

TYLER, Texas - A 27-year-old Grand Saline, Texas, man has been sentenced to federal prison for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

James Matthew Herring pleaded guilty on Aug. 6, 2014, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis.

According to information presented in court, on Jan. 21, 2014, Herring was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy because he matched the description of a burglary suspect.  During the traffic stop, a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol were located on the ground near the car.  Drug paraphernalia, cash, and methamphetamine were also found in a bag near the vehicle.  Herring submitted to a search of the car, during which deputies located another revolver in the dash where the radio had been and a bag of ammunition in the trunk.  Further investigation revealed Herring was a convicted felon having been found guilty of theft and evading arrest with a vehicle in Collin County, Texas.  As a convicted felon, Herring is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.  Herring was indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 23, 2014. 

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition and body armor, and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

This case was investigated by the ATF, the Grand Saline Police Department and the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

####