Madison County Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing and Selling Firearms
For Immediate Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Richmond, Ky., man, Aaron Shanks, 49, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to 60 months in prison, for two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to his plea agreement, between December 20, 2022 and January 17, 2023, law enforcement used a confidential informant to make several controlled purchases of firearms from Shanks. During one transaction, on December 21, 2022, Shanks sold a 9mm pistol and a silencer, which did not have any manufacturer’s marks or identification. Shanks admitted that he knew it was a firearm silencer, that it was in operating condition, and that it was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
At the time of these transactions, Shanks was prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior felony convictions, including one prior offense for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm..
Under federal law, Shanks must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, with assistance from the Madison County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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