Metro Lex News

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Richmond, Ky., man, Christopher David Taylor, 39, was sentenced to 94 months on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove following his convictions for two counts of theft from a federally licensed firearms dealer and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to his plea agreement, on January 4, 2023, law enforcement responded to a burglary at Dan’s Discount Jewelry and Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer. Taylor and an accompanying juvenile unlawfully entered the store and stole 60 firearms from the business. As law enforcement arrived, Taylor and the juvenile escaped through the back of the business, dropping a duffel bag containing 57 of the 60 firearms. An additional firearm that was stolen was recovered from the field behind the business.

Later, on February 8, 2023, law enforcement responded to another burglary in Clark County at Bypass Gold and Pawn LLC, another federally licensed firearms dealer. Taylor was observed on surveillance unlawfully entering the building and stealing nine firearms from the business.

Then, on February 10, 2023, after identifying Taylor on surveillance footage, law enforcement searched Taylor’s residence and found him hiding in the attic. Law enforcement also found five firearms at his residence; three had been stolen by Taylor from Bypass Gold and Pawn. Taylor later admitted to committing both burglaries.

As part of his plea agreement, Taylor admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior state felony convictions in Anderson Circuit Court and Madison Circuit Court in 2022.

Under federal law, Taylor must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon release from prison, he will be under supervision by the U.S. Probation Office for three years.

Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Louisville Field Division; and Chief Rodney Richardson of Richmond Police Department jointly announced the sentence.

The case was investigated by ATF and Richmond Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.

This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves investigating and prosecuting crimes along with prevention and reentry efforts coordinated by U.S. Attorney Shier in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.