Williams jailed for illegal firearm and hollow point ammunition
Calhiff Williams, a 23-year-old resident of New Montrose, should be safe from harm after he was on Tuesday sentenced to a four-year term behind bars for possession of a 9mm automatic handgun.{{more}}
Williams was sentenced to four years for possession of a firearm without a license and two years for having in his possession five rounds of hollow point ammunition.
The Serious Offences Court heard that the firearm and five rounds of hollow point ammunition were discovered at the home of Williams around 3:30 a.m on September 3, after officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) provided a search warrant to conduct a search of the house.
Station Sergeant Verden James explained to the court that the weapon was a fairly new one and that four rounds of ammunition were found in the magazine, with the remaining one in the breech.
Sgt James also explained to the court that the type of ammunition found was unique, in that it was an expanding bullet, which has a hollow shape that causes the bullet to expand after entering the intended target.
Williams pleaded guilty to the offences and told the court that he had purchased the firearm because he feared for his life.
The man told the court that he had heard that a named individual had sent three guys to look for him and that the man wanted him dead.
He further explained that his girlfriend had advised him not to go to the police, because the man was protected by law enforcement and that although he knew that what he did was wrong, he did not get the firearm to kill anyone.
âI know that I am wrong and take full responsibility,â Williams told the court.
âI am sorry I took the law into my own hands,â he continued, saying that he knew the man had a bad reputation.
He also told the court that he was trying to stay out of trouble.
But Chief Magistrate Sonya Young rebutted, saying that she could not understand how a man, having in his possession a 9mm automatic handgun and five rounds of hollow point ammunition, could be telling the court that he was trying to stay out of trouble.
âIf I were a businessman, then I would need a 9mm and more than five hollow point shots,â the magistrate continued.
The Chief Magistrate continued, saying that she had tunnel vision when it came to cases involving illegal firearms and that depending on the type of firearm, it got worse.
She asked if it was necessary for him to have such ammunition, to which Williams responded that he did not know the bullets were in the firearm.
The magistrate then responded that she was going to send Williams to a place where he would be safe and that by the time he came out, perhaps the man would have forgotten about the incident. (DD)
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