Felon Sentenced To Over Six Years In Prison For Unlawful Possession Of A Firearm

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A felon who was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm that was discovered during a traffic stop was sentenced to 75 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.

In August, a jury convicted Omar Qazi, 31, of Las Vegas, of felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon sentenced Qazi to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents and evidence presented during the three-day jury trial, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer stopped Qazi for a traffic violation near East Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane. During the search of his vehicle, the officer found a loaded Smith & Wesson .22 caliber revolver, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Qazi, who represented himself, has a prior felony conviction in Nevada for battery with substantial bodily harm and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm. As a pro se defendant, Qazi filed over 100 motions before the case was brought to trial.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Michael and Patrick Burns prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.

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