A three-time convicted felon from Austin, known as Frank Horton Lee Jr., faced the weight of federal law today, after his arrest for allegedly possessing a firearm, a violation given his criminal status. The apprehension occurred following a traffic stop by the Austin Police Department on May 24, when officers reportedly discovered a .45 ACP caliber semiautomatic pistol.
Presented in federal court, the 38-year-old Lee was slapped with the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm—a stain that carries a possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison, as per a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. While sentenced, after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, a federal Judge will determine any actual time Lee might serve.
U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas is the voice behind this announcement, signaling the seriousness with which the law is pursuing this case. The Austin arm of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, alongside the local Police Department, is conducting the investigation, intent on nailing down all the involved details.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is the one tasked with prosecuting the case against Lee, ensuring that the predictably long arm of the law is not reaching out in vain. It's a straightforward pursuit of justice, with the intent to demonstrate that past mistakes, such as Lee's convictions, have long shadows—shadows that even a traffic stop can unexpectedly cast. The case continues to evolve as the judicial gears turn in a city not unfamiliar with the complexities of law and disorder.
