SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 28, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A 26-year-old Orem man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in federal prison for stealing a duffle bag full of firearms
“James D. Brunson, 26, of Orem, was sentenced today to 240 months’ imprisonment, after a federal jury found him guilty of being a previously convicted felon in possession of stolen firearms and ammunition, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney for Utah of the Department of Justice. Prosecutors believe he may have sold some of the stolen guns.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial in July 2022, Brunson was found guilty of possession of firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possession of stolen firearms.
In March 2020, Brunson stole a duffle bag containing nine firearms, and ammunition for the weapons, from a residence in Orem.
“Brunson, a convicted felon at the time of the offense, knew he could not possess firearms or ammunition,” the press release said. “The duffle bag contained two shotguns; three handguns; one revolver; two .22 caliber rifles; an AR-15 rifle; and three boxes containing ammunition for the weapons.”
Officers tracked Brunson to an apartment complex in West Jordan. Just prior to his arrest officers witnessed Brunson remove a stolen 9mm handgun from his waistband and discard it in a nearby grassy area.
Officers then arrested Brunson and recovered the discarded stolen handgun and six other stolen firearms from a nearby vehicle. Two of the firearms stolen by Brunson have not been located, prosecutors said, and officers established that Brunson attempted to sell the firearms for cash to others.
“Brunson’s criminal acts reflect a brazen disregard for the law and demonstrate why restricted persons having firearms is illegal,” said U.S. Attorney for Utah Trina A. Higgins said.
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency and was initially investigated by the Orem Police Department and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force.
“Instead of learning from his past, Mr. Brunson chose to continue a life of crime and put our community at risk of potential gun violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI.
