A Stratford man will spend nearly five and a half years in prison for selling guns, homemade hand grenades, and a making a silencer believed to have been used in a Wausau homicide case earlier this year.
Tyler Jenkins, a welder and convicted felon, told a federal judge that guns are his hobby and he liked to make items that few people could own. Those included grenades, a silencer, and a 30-round magazine for a rifle. Prosecutor Rita Rumbelow cited those items, along with tattoos of his prisoner number and a drive-by shooting, as a sign that Jenkins is proud to be a criminal, and could also pose a danger to the community.
Jenkins was charged in federal court after he sold a gun to a confidential informant. That resulted in a raid which turned up six firearms, one of which was stolen, along with the hand grenades and silencer. He was sentenced earlier this week by U.S. District Judge William Conley.
The silencer Jenkins was made is believed to have been used in a January 3 fatal shooting outside of a Wausau bar. John W. Lewis is facing homicide charges in the death of K.C. Elliot. Jenkins told the judge the silencer was not in his possession during the shooting, but was later returned to him.
Once Jenkins is released from prison, he will be on extended supervision for another three years.
WSAU