Hardin Man Sentence for Federal Firearms Violations

BEAUMONT, December 16, 2010 - A 42-year-old Hardin, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Robert Odell Boothe pleaded guilty on June 16, 2010, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.

According to information presented in court, on Nov. 17, 2009, Boothe attempted to reclaim a shotgun he had pawned at a Liberty, Texas pawn store on Oct. 3, 2009. The store notified law enforcement after becoming suspicious that Boothe was a convicted felon. An investigation revealed Boothe had previously been convicted of evading arrest in 2004 in Liberty County, Texas. As a convicted felon, Boothe is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Boothe was indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 21, 2010.

This conviction is yet another important outcome from Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national priority of the United States Department of Justice. PSN is designed as a partnership between federal and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun-related crime through the vigorous enforcement of the criminal provisions of the federal firearms laws.

PSN is a Department of Justice nationwide initiative that combines traditional law enforcement activities with community-based support and intervention programs. The two primary goals of the PSN initiative is to reduce and prevent violent crimes and to help past offenders adjust and re-enter the community. Founded in 2001, PSN is the nation’s largest and most visible effort to combat violent crime and criminal gang activity at the community level by increasing coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement and the community.

This case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

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