Yuba City Man Indicted for Unlawfully Possessing and Selling Guns

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On June 15, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Billy Glyn Sims Jr., 29, of Yuba City, charging him with dealing in firearms without a license, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and selling ammunition to a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

According to court documents, between April 1, 2022, and March 9, 2023, in the Counties of Yuba, Yolo and Sutter, Sims, who is not a licensed firearms dealer, unlawfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. In connection with his dealing, Sims was in possession of two guns and ammunition, which he is prohibited from possessing because of his prior felony convictions, including for domestic violence and burglary. Sims also sold ammunition to a person that he knew had prior felony convictions and could not legally possess ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin L. Lee and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Sims faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawfully dealing in firearms, 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of ammunition and for selling ammunition to a prohibited person. 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.

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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.