A 58-year-old Stockton resident pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and to being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said.
In June 2022, when a traffic stop was conducted on Gary Wayne Stuckey vehicle officers said they observed several pounds of marijuana inside the car, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said a search of the vehicle revealed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and several items indicative of drug sales such as digital scales, plastic baggies, and hundreds of dollars of U.S. currency in small denominations.
Additionally, officers said they found a Polymer 80 handgun wedged between the driver’s seat and center console of the vehicle.
The handgun was a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” lacking a serial number, that was loaded with a live round of ammunition in the chamber and five additional rounds in the magazine.
According to prosecutors, Stuckey is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of multiple state felony convictions which include a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Stuckey is set to be sentenced on Nov. 14 by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta.
He faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
However, the actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court.