YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — One of four men who pleaded guilty to the March theft of several guns from a Braceville sporting goods store was sentenced Monday in federal court.
Brendon Nichols, 28, received a two-year sentence in the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio from U.S. Judge Bridgett Meehan Brennan after he pleaded guilty July 21 to one count of theft of firearms from a federal licensee.
Nichols is one of three people indicted by a federal grand jury for the March 6 theft of 34 guns from Rattlesnake Sporting Goods in Braceville.
Ten of the guns were found in a Boardman home where Nichols was arrested on March 6 after a brief standoff.
When questioned, Nichols told investigators where he put the guns in his home. He also told them he went to the store March 5 with a co-defendant, Daquante Kimbrough, 25, and two other people not named, then went back early March 6 after he had been drinking.
Nichols said he tried to grab all the guns he liked when he visited the store the day before, the criminal complaint in his case said.
All four suspects have pleaded guilty. Nichols is the first one to be sentenced.
Nichols was also ordered to pay $9,579 restitution.
A request for restitution filed last week with the court said that of the 34 guns taken, 24 have been found so far, with 20 of them found in the early stages of the investigation. The other four were found as the case has been pending in Youngstown, Lordstown, Columbus and Trumbull County, the request said.
The store will receive the guns back once the case is closed except for the gun found in Youngstown, which was outside and exposed for 30 days and can no longer be sold even as a used firearm, the request said.
Nichols will receive credit for the time he has served thus far awaiting the outcome of his case.
