Donald Henderson, a 30-year-old Fresno man, has entered a guilty plea for unlawful possession of ammunition as a felon, particularly regarding his involvement with a "ghost gun," as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. U.S Attorney Office reports indicate that on September 4, 2024, Henderson attempted to sell a rifle to an undercover Clovis police officer who he thought was a prostitute, a sale that sparked a high-speed pursuit and ended with Henderson tossing the firearm from the window of a moving vehicle.

The weapon involved was a privately made gun with a high-capacity magazine, highlighting the problem of ghost guns, which are untraceable due to the lack of serial numbers. Cases like Henderson's show the challenges law enforcement faces in controlling these weapons. With a criminal history of burglary and illegal firearm possession, Henderson is banned from owning guns or ammo. He now faces a potential 15-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine, with his final sentence to be decided by Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23.

Henderson's case resulted from a partnership between Homeland Security Investigations and local authorities in Clovis, as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program aimed at reducing violent crime. PSN brings together various community groups to target the causes of violent crime, prevent future offenses, and assist formerly incarcerated individuals in reentering society, focusing on the most violent offenders.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is leading the prosecution of this case, which highlights the Department of Justice's multifaceted approach to fighting violent crime. This strategy combines strong law enforcement with preventive efforts and reentry programs, all part of PSN’s evidence-based, collaborative method to break the cycle of crime and create safer communities.