A Quemado resident, Chad Walter Gash, pleaded guilty in federal court after law enforcement seized 13 firearms and ammunition from his property during a search in April 2024, according to an announcement on April 13.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address firearm possession by individuals with prior felony convictions. Authorities say that as a convicted felon, Gash was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a previous conviction in Texas for manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance.
Court documents state that the Catron County Sheriff’s Office began investigating residential burglaries and identified Gash as a person of interest. Neighbors reported hearing regular gunfire from Gash’s property and indicated he possessed numerous firearms. On April 30, officers executed a search warrant at his residence, recovering the firearms and ammunition from his bedroom and an associated travel trailer. Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were also found. Among the weapons seized were an unregistered short-barreled shotgun and a destructive device.
Gash pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced the plea agreement. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office led the investigation with support from local authorities.
