A Las Vegas man, Noel Lynn Waters, with a history of felony convictions has admitted to the illegal possession of an AR-15-pattern pistol without a serial number – a "ghost gun." As per an official release from the Department of Justice, on October 20, 2023, Waters not only unlawfully held the weapon but also threatened to "shoot everybody" by pointing it at another person. These actions add to his extensive criminal history, including past convictions pertaining to unlawful firearms possession and drug offenses both in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Given his criminal background, Waters is considered a prohibited person under the law – making his possession of any firearm illegal. Despite the regulations, court documents stated that he had obtained a loaded, semi-automatic 5.56x45mm pistol built on an AR-15-pattern that lacked an identifying serial number. According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Waters' dangerous conduct has landed him a guilty plea for a count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Waters now confronts the possibility of a maximum 15-year sentence in federal prison. Scheduled for January 14, 2026, his sentencing will be overseen by United States District Judge James C. Mahan. It was Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Topper from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) who reported the conviction. The final sentence will be determined after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other pertinent statutory factors.
This case serves as a point of contention in the ongoing debate around ghost guns and gun control laws. While the ATF and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department led the investigation, Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig is the prosecutor on record for the case.
