A Santa Monica resident has filed a guilty plea following charges he knowingly violated gun laws during an incident on January 9 of this year.
Jason Scott Walsh was initially charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of a firearm without a serial number. However, under an agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, Walsh pleaded to a single count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. The remaining charges will be dismissed pending acceptance of the deal at his sentencing hearing in November.
According to the terms of the deal, Walsh could face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a three-year period of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
Walsh was arrested after a neighbor heard popping sounds.
The neighbor, who was having a gathering in his backyard with eight guests, including children, noticed a hole had been shot through his garage and called the police.
Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) responded and officers discovered a bullet on the garage floor. While on scene, SMPD also heard what sounded like suppressed gunfire coming from Walsh’s residence.
SMPD obtained and executed a search warrant at Walsh’s residence. In the house, SMPD seized a loaded, short-barreled, AR-type rifle bearing no serial number; two loaded, semi-automatic Polymer80 9mm caliber firearms bearing no serial numbers, one with an attached silencer; additional suspected silencers; firearm magazines; an ammunition reloading device; and approximately 367 rounds of ammunition and 58 9mm caliber cartridge casings, according to court documents.
Walsh was previously convicted of a felony charge for making terrorist threats in 2014 and as a result, he is not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
Walsh is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 16.
editor@smdp.com
