The federal government is now prosecuting the local case of a felon accused of being in possession of a firearm, according to U.S. District Court records.

Sean Mapp, 34, was arrested in mid-September after a Casper police officer saw him at a convenience store trying to pass a gun to a bystander.

Mapp was charged in Natrona County District Court with one felony charge of a felon in possession of a firearm, and misdemeanor counts of interference with a peace officer and carrying a concealed weapon.

He pleaded not guilty two weeks ago during his arraignment.

However, a federal grand jury handed down an indictment Wednesday charging Mapp with one count of felon in possession of a firearm, which is punishable under the federal system by up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

He was being held on $15,000 bond in state court. The federal government intends to detain him, according to the indictment.

Mapp was arrested on Nov. 18 when a Casper police officer saw him near Second and South Jefferson streets, and knew there was a warrant out for his arrest, according to Natrona County Circuit Court records.

The officer told Mapp to stop three times, but he kept walking. He later pulled out a small metallic object, which was later determined to be a .25-caliber pistol.

Mapp approached a bystander, tried to slip the pistol into the bystander’s sweatshirt pocket, missed and the weapon fell to the ground. He then surrendered.

Investigators later discovered that the safety on the pistol was off, and there were five rounds inside.

Mapp and the bystander did not know each other.

Prosecutors found out Mapp has at least three prior felony convictions.

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