Felon in Possession of Firearm Sentenced to Serve 168 Months in Federal Prison

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced that Travis Chelberg was sentenced today in federal court in San Diego by United States District Court Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz to serve 168 months in custody and three years of supervised release based on Chelberg’s convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and assaulting a fellow inmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in an attempt to dissuade the victim from testifying.

According to court records, Chelberg, a gang member, was a twice-convicted felon, suffering convictions in San Diego County Superior Court for assaulting an individual with a firearm and selling a controlled substance. On December 16, 2008, while on state parole, police officers searched his apartment and found a firearm.

While awaiting trial on that case, Chelberg was housed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. On August 3, 2009, Chelberg intentionally assaulted a fellow inmate. Specifically, Chelberg used a razor blade to slice open the victim’s face. Chelberg carried out the assault with the belief that the victim was a witness for the government and with the intention of dissuading the victim from testifying against him or others.

This case was part of the 2009 investigation entitled Operation Keys to the City, conducted by the multi-agency San Diego Violent Crimes Task Force-Gang Group, which targets the criminal activities of the gangs.

Case Number
09cr0365BTM

Defendant
Travis Chelberg, aka Whisper

Summary of Charges
Title 18, United States Code, Sections 113(a) and 7—assault with intent to commit a felony within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction
Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2)—felon in possession of a firearm

Agencies
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
National City Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
U.S. Bureau of Prisons
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
San Diego County Probation Department
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations