U.S. Attorney Announces Sentencing for Man Convicted of Illegal Weapons Possession in Domestic Violence Case

ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man was sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms and destructive devices while under a court order of protection following a harrowing domestic violence incident.

According to court documents, on September 14, 2022, Edward Walters, 55, knowingly possessed a firearm, ammunition, and destructive devices while under a court order of protection. The protection order, issued on July 21, 2022, found that Walters represented a credible threat and prohibited him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner. Despite this, Walters returned to his family’s residence, where he began accumulating an arsenal of weapons, including firearms, silencers, and pipe bombs.

Walters held his wife against her will in their garage, but their son overheard the situation and called 911. The incident escalated as Walters barricaded himself inside the home, causing significant disruption to a nearby elementary school and surrounding neighborhoods. After hours of negotiations, law enforcement took Walters into custody.

Upon his release from prison, Walters will be subject to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

The Las Cruces Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison prosecuted the case.

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