A former Denver firefighter on Thursday was sentenced to a year in federal prison for selling a machine gun to an undercover FBI agent.
Stan Ford, 36, has been ordered to report to a facility designated by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons at a date to be determined by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Blackburn.
He faced up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 under federal firearms laws. Prosecutors initially claimed he was a domestic terrorist.
Ford was convicted after a 10-day jury trial in June of selling an Olympic Arms Mini-16 machine gun to the agent in November 2005. He was arrested immediately after the sale and indicted by a federal grand jury.
He later asked for a new trial, arguing that federal prosecutors withheld e-mails between him and confidential informant Keith Heavilin that could show Ford was entrapped by Heavilin.
Ford argued he considered Heavilin a father figure. He said he was susceptible to Heavilin’s suggestions that Ford said pushed him into selling a machine gun.
Blackburn ruled that, while the government withheld evidence, it wouldn’t have helped Ford win acquittal. On Thursday, Blackburn said there was evidence to support claims that ford was a terrorist.
Ford still planned to appeal his conviction, his attorney Will Hood said. “The court’s sentence reflects the judge’s understanding of Stan Ford’s otherwise strong reputation within the community.”
