A 64-year-old St. Augustine man, Alton Wayne Cope III, is sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison for illegally selling firearms and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The U.S. Department of Justice confirms Cope’s guilty plea, which follows a summer 2024 investigation where agents purchased eleven firearms from him and a co-conspirator, uncovering that some of the weapons were reported stolen.
Cope, who has a history of felony convictions, including drug-related offenses, was implicated in a conspiracy involving the original purchaser of the firearms, Braden Hobbs, who now faces his own legal challenges with potential sentences ranging from five years to 95 years. The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal and local law enforcement to combat illegal firearm sales and protect community safety.
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