Boise man sentenced on federal gun crime
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – A 57-year-old Boise man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Jeffrey Eldridge to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to court records, Eldridge was involuntarily committed to an Idaho State hospital in 2016. In that proceeding, a state magistrate judge found Eldridge “gravely” disabled due to mental illness. Because of this involuntary commitment, Eldridge could not lawfully possess firearms under federal law and was subsequently notified of this firearms disability.
Eldridge has a history of mental illness and delusions where he believes others are attempting to harm him. On January 11, 2023, two officers responded to Eldridge’s residence in Boise to take him into custody for a mental evaluation. During the contact, officers located ten firearms in the home and approximately 1,300 rounds of ammunition.
“The unlawful possession of firearms by those with mental illnesses present a public safety risk that cannot be ignored,” U.S. Attorney Hurwit said. “This case exemplifies the collaborative work of our Project Safe Neighborhoods program, where local police cooperatively worked with federal counterparts.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Boise Police Department for their collective efforts on the case.
