August 16, 10

NEWS / Phoenix Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Bomb Components and Firearms

PHOENIX—Aaron Curtis Rush, 25, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced this week to 48 months in federal prison as a result of his guilty plea to unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and unlawful possession of a firearm, in federal district court in Phoenix.

On July 10, 2009, Rush sold a Russian made handgun to an FBI confidential source. Rush was prohibited from possessing weapons due to his two prior hate crime felony convictions in Wisconsin and Illinois. On November 11, 2009, the FBI executed a search warrant at Rush’s North Phoenix residence. Inside Rush’s closet, the FBI discovered another gun along with bomb components which included a grenade-like object filled with gun powder. As a result the immediate neighborhood was evacuated.

“Rush is a dangerous man with a record of committing hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke. “He’s not allowed to possess weapons and never will be.”

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by David A. Pimsner, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

http://phoenix.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/px081310a.htm