Making a False Statement in Connection with a Firearm Purchase (18 U.S.C. §1001(a)(2)). A conviction could trigger up to five years in federal prison and removal proceedings due to immigration consequences.
The government charged the client with making a false statement on a firearm purchase form. Immigration exposure made this case high-stakes: a conviction and incarceration could trigger removal. The applicable guideline range was ten to sixteen months, but judicial discretion existed to depart below that range with sufficient justification.
Counsel negotiated a joint sentencing recommendation that persuaded the court to impose a sentence below guidelines entirely. The result: federal probation with no incarceration and preserved immigration status.
Facing similar charges?