A 26-year-old man has entered a guilty plea to charges of unlawful firearm possession stemming from a police search of his residence earlier this month, and has been ordered to remain in custody ahead of his sentencing hearing scheduled for May.
Ajahnae Nicholas appeared before Chief Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel to answer for the charges laid against him following the execution of a search warrant at his Green Bay Hill home on April 10. According to official police accounts, Nicholas cooperated with officers by directing them to his bedroom, where law enforcement recovered a silver 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun. The weapon had been concealed beneath his bed, wrapped inside a plastic bag, and all factory identifying serial numbers had been intentionally erased from its frame.
When questioned by investigators, Nicholas claimed he had stumbled upon the unregistered firearm while it was abandoned in brush located near his property. Prosecutors have emphasized that the unmarked, high-powered shotgun poses a severe risk to public safety, highlighting its capacity to fire large-caliber shotgun shells and the deliberate removal of identifying marks that would allow law enforcement to trace its origin.
Nicholas was remanded to custody following his plea, with his formal sentencing scheduled to take place before the court on May 12. Judicial officials confirmed that the court is currently reviewing applicable sentencing guidelines as it prepares to deliver its ruling next month.
In a related development, 20-year-old Kayshia Riley of Sweets Village, who was named as a co-accused in the original case, has had all charges against her formally dismissed by the court. Defense attorney Sherfield Bowen represented both Nicholas and Riley throughout the court proceedings.