Convicted Felon Who Attempted To Sell Assault Rifle Found Guilty Of Unlawful Firearm Possession

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today found Timothy Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif., guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, following a trial before Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, a Pittsburg Police Department officer attempted to stop the vehicle that Jeffrey was driving.  Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot, parked, exited the car, and fled on foot away from the officer.  Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested.

Jeffrey became a fugitive soon after his arrest, and his whereabouts were unknown until an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service led law enforcement to suspect Jeffrey’s presence at a relative’s home in Antioch.  On March 27, 2024, the United States Marshals Service surveilled the address and spotted Jeffrey entering the home.  U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, after which the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence.

Sheriff’s deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room.  They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey.  The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it.

At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

“The defendant, a convicted felon, not only possessed a semi-automatic pistol and assault rifle, but also attempted to sell the rifle on the black market.  His actions endangered the community, and law enforcement’s work on this case helped prevent this deadly weapon from falling into the wrong hands,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.  “We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to combat the presence of illegal firearms in our communities.”

“ATF works closely with our partners to track the illegal movement of firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The defendant is a convicted felon who attempted to illegally sell firearms. ATF will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that our communities are safe. We will continue to focus on reducing gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking and ensuring that firearms stay out of the hands of prohibited persons.”

Jeffrey was convicted of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).  His sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025.  Defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.  Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jillian Harvey are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.