DENVER – Stylios Alton Trachanas, age 41, formerly of Boulder County, Colorado, pled guilty today to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm not registered with the ATF, the Department of Justice announced today. Trachanas was a marijuana care giver under Colorado state law to at least nine patients. The guilty plea was tendered before U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson. Judge Jackson is scheduled to sentence Trachanas on June 8, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. Following the change of plea hearing, Judge Jackson ordered the defendant, who appeared at free on bond, to be remanded immediately into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on April 15, 2011, in an area around Vermillion Road, in Boulder County, several witnesses heard a large amount of gunfire. One witness was able to obtain a license plate number from the automobile driven by the shooter. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the shots being fired. They went to the residence of the person who owned the car identified by one of the witnesses. As officers approached the residence, they could smell the strong odor of marijuana. Based on the odor of marijuana, the officers obtained a search warrant for the residence.

Sheriff’s Deputies searched the residence. During the search the located between 50 and 100 marijuana plants in the basement. They also found all the required equipment to have a indoor marijuana grow which would enable the residents to be able to distribute marijuana. Further, they found 46 ounces of dried marijuana, as well as paperwork that tied the defendant to being a care giver under Colorado state law to at least nine patients.

In addition to locating the marijuana grow, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office located weapons in the garage of the residence, including a Street Sweeper 12 gauge shotgun (which is a weapon that can expel an explosive or other projectile), a .380 caliber pistol with a suppressor, a 9mm caliber pistol, and a M12 pistol. They also found assorted rounds of ammunition. Forensic analysis matched the shell casings from the shooting with the defendant’s firearms. Sheriff’s deputies and ATF agents also determined that the defendant was prohibited from possessing these weapons. Specifically, Trachanas has three convictions out of Harris County Texas. One for first degree murder, one for obtaining a controlled substance by telephone, and one for unlawfully and intentionally possessing a controlled substance, namely cocaine.

If convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, the defendant faces not more than 10 years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, the defendant faces not more than 20 years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $1,000,000. If convicted of possession of a firearm which is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (the Street Sweeper), the defendant faces not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $10,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Sibert and Richard Hosley.

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