A Stockton man, Gary Wayne Stuckey, 58, could face life in prison after pleading guilty to drug and firearms charges in federal court on Thursday. Stuckey admitted to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of ammunition, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
The charges stem from a traffic stop in June 2022, during which law enforcement officers discovered several pounds of marijuana, digital scales, plastic bags, and hundreds of dollars in small bills inside Stuckey's vehicle. The evidence suggested that Stuckey was involved in drug sales, according to federal prosecutors.
In addition to the drugs, officers found a loaded Polymer 80 "ghost gun" — a privately made firearm without a serial number — between the driver’s seat and center console of Stuckey's car. The gun had a live round in the chamber and five additional rounds in the magazine.
Due to multiple state felony convictions, including a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition, Stuckey was prohibited from possessing ammunition.
Stuckey is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on November 14, where he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that unites various levels of law enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The investigation was conducted by the Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.