A Las Vegas man who admitted helping traffic a stash of stolen guns, many still sporting dealer price tags, is headed to federal prison after a case that shows how quickly stolen firearms can cycle back into local criminal markets.
Ky'von Love Bernard Payne pleaded guilty to federal gun charges tied to possession of stolen firearms and trafficking in firearms, according to court records. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey sentenced Payne to 30 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, the U.S. Department of Justice said. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives handled the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig prosecuted the case.
According to filings summarized on Leagle, Payne pleaded guilty to Counts Two and Three of a four-count indictment, including possession of stolen firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 922(j) and a trafficking-in-firearms charge. The same records detail a preliminary order of forfeiture tied to the seized weapons.
Inside The North Las Vegas House Full Of Stolen Guns
Prosecutors say that on March 25, 2024, Payne and co-defendant Semaj'e Ridgeway had 35 stolen firearms inside Ridgeway's North Las Vegas residence, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The haul included a semiautomatic rifle, semiautomatic pistols and a long rifle. Many of the guns reportedly still carried price tags and handwritten descriptions from a licensed firearms dealer in Southern California. Federal authorities say co-defendants Jahova Bell and Lanell Bellows traded a 5.56x45mm rifle and cash for two of the stolen pistols that same day.
Local Reporting And Court Records
Local coverage followed the federal announcement this week, with FOX5 Las Vegas outlining the sentence and key details drawn from the DOJ release and court filings. That reporting echoed Payne's guilty plea and the recovery of firearms from the North Las Vegas home.
Charges, Penalties And What Comes Next
The counts in the indictment carry federal penalties, and the court entered a preliminary forfeiture order for the seized weapons, according to documents posted on Leagle. With his plea in place, Payne will serve the sentence imposed by the court, and the case stands as another example of federal efforts to disrupt illicit markets for stolen firearms.
