FRESNO, CA—A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Bryson LaPaul Blair, 29, of Bakersfield, charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of a felony and domestic violence misdemeanor, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, during the execution of a search warrant at Blair’s residence, officers found a loaded Russian assault weapon under Blair’s bed and 145 rounds of ammunition. Blair was previously convicted in Kern County of a felony and a misdemeanor spousal abuse and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the U.S. Department of Justice’s primary initiative to combat gun crime and gang-related violence. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Blair faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.