RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A retired Westmoreland County Sheriff’s deputy has pleaded guilty to a firearms charge.
Melvin Hinson of Kinsale, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to the charge of possession of firearms with obliterated, removed, or altered serial numbers.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Hinson admitted that he received firearms from law enforcement agencies to destroy them for the agencies. But instead of destroying the firearms, Hinson removed the serial numbers from the firearms and sold or traded them. According to court documents, there were eight firearms involved, including a sawed-off shotgun and a sawed-off rifle. All eight of the firearms entrusted to Hinson for destruction have been recovered by law enforcement.
Hinson faces a maximum of five years in prison when he’s sentenced in December.
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