A 31-year-old Duluth man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis Tuesday to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Nicholas James Worden admitted that he possessed a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol on Oct. 7, 2009.
Because he is a felon, Worden is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time. Worden's prior felony convictions in St. Louis County include first-degree burglary in 1999, check forgery in 2000, and offering a forged check in 2001.
The defendant faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Michael Davis will determine Worden's sentence at a hearing, yet to be scheduled.
The case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the lake Superior Drug and Gang Task Force.
ADVERTISEMENT
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Minneapolis said that the case was developed under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a strategic approach to reducing gun crime in American. The program was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001 and encourages cooperative, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement and crime prevention efforts.
