It was announced today by acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Feldis that a federal Grand Jury has indicted a former Ketchikan resident on charges of being a felon in possession of a firerm.

That person, James A. Mavromatis was the sole defendant named in the single count indictment. According to the indictment, it was discovered that Mavromatis was in possession of a firearm on July 1st of this year. Mavromatis, being a felon, cannot legally possess firearms.

Mavromatis had a semi-automatic firearm with him when he was contacted at a campsite in Ketchikan by the U.S. Forest Service.

The Assistant U.S. Attorney handling the case, Jack Schmidt, stated that the charge filed against Mavromatis provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine for felon in possession offense. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Mavromatis has only Misdemeanor charges in the state of Alaska according to Alaska court records. Prior to the incident in July, Mavromatis was charged with disorderly Conduct out of Ketchikan which was dismissed and three charges out of Dutch Harbor in October and November, two of the charges are for Criminal Trespass II and one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. All three of the cases originating out of Dutch Harbor are still open.

Prior to coming to Alaska Mavromatis spent at least ten days in a eastern Washington jail in Asotin County in January of this year on undisclosed charges.

Mr. Feldis commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Forest Service Law Enforcement for conducting the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.