HS man sentenced to 8 years on federal firearms charge

A Hot Springs man was sentenced Thursday to eight years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2014 in a case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, Kenneth Elser, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced in a news release Friday.

Laron Famous, 41, was sentenced at a hearing in U.S. District Court in Hot Springs by Judge Susan O. Hickey and in addition to prison time was ordered to complete three years of supervised probation after his release.

According to court records, on July 4, 2014, Hot Springs police responded to a 911 call regarding a firearm being discharged. Upon arrival, a police officer saw Famous walking away from the scene. When he shined his spotlight on Famous, he saw him toss a firearm in the bushes.

Officers located the two-tone Smith & Wesson firearm and took the Famous into custody. The firearm information was examined by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms who determined the firearm had traveled in interstate commerce.

Famous was previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2015 on the charge of felon in possession and pleaded guilty to the charge in July 2015.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of firearms and improving the safety of residents in the Western District of Arkansas, the release said. Participants in the initiative include federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case against Famous, which was investigated by the HSPD and ATF.