SOUTH BEND – Nicholas R. Valent, 36 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Valent was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release, 6 months of which will be on home detention.
“A thief will spend time incarcerated, on home detention, and supervised release for possessing a stolen firearm. He worked as a driver for a delivery company when he stole two rifles that he was entrusted to deliver. After he learned that law enforcement was investigating the stolen firearms, he anonymously dropped the rifles and a third stolen firearm at the front door of a police department during the night hours after the police station had been closed for business. The Defendant abused his position of trust for personal enrichment. His theft not only deprived the rightful owners of their property but also caused financial harm while systematically dismantling the foundational trust essential to this critical piece of our local economy and commerce,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from FedEx Global Security and the Osceola Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of Indiana — U.S. Department of Justice press release.