Federal Jury Finds Louisville Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing Firearm

Louisville, KY – Yesterday evening a federal jury convicted a local man of illegally possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Maynard of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 25, 2018, Timothy John Lewis, 52, possessed a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol after having previously been convicted of the following felony offenses:

On January 31, 2018, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of burglary in the second degree, receiving stolen property under $10,000, theft by unlawful taking over $500, and tampering with physical evidence;

On July 29, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of complicity to burglary in the second degree;

On September 7, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of complicity to receiving stolen property under $10,000 and theft by unlawful taking (two counts); and

On October 19, 2007, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Lewis was convicted of receiving goods by fraud, burglary in the second degree (three counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 (twelve counts), theft by unlawful taking over $300 – auto (two counts), receiving stolen property over $300 (three counts), receiving stolen property over $300 - vehicle, criminal possession of forged instrument in the second degree, fraudulent use of a credit card (three counts), tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Lewis is scheduled for sentencing on July 20, 2023, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Lewis remains in federal custody pending sentencing and he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.

The ATF and LMPD investigated the case and were assisted by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Alcohol Beverage Control.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Julie Mason.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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