Cheyenne Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Gun Case

A 52-year-old Cheyenne man who pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced Monday.

Anthony Pierce Unocic was arrested and indicted last fall after special agents found firearms and ammunition in his bedroom, which he was prohibited from possessing due to a January 2017 felony conviction in Weld County, Colorado.

According to a criminal complaint, an HSI special agent was notified on Oct. 7, 2021, that U.S. Customs and Border Protection had intercepted a package for Unocic from China containing a suspected firearm suppressor.

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Local ATF special agents physically examined the suspected suppressor and believed it would function as a suppressor if the end cap and baffles were drilled. It was also learned that the suppressor was not registered to Unocic in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

On Nov. 2, a U.S. postal inspector and other law enforcement personnel executed a controlled delivery of the seized package to Unocic.

About two hours later, ATF special agents contacted Unocic at his job and told him they were aware he had ordered the suppressor. Unocic reportedly told them the device was a "solvent trap" not a suppressor because it had no holes drilled in it.

He also stated that he didn't own any firearms and there was nothing illegal inside his vehicle or residence.

Special agents executed a search warrant at Unocic's residence and located firearms, ammunition, the suppressor, and suspected narcotics inside his bedroom. Metal shavings were also located near a drill press in the attached garage.

Following his prison release, Unocic will be subject to three years of supervised release.

For more information about this case, check out our earlier posts:

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