Australian Sentenced to 2 Years for Weapons Violation

Updated: Tuesday, 29 Nov 2011, 5:40 AM MST
Published : Tuesday, 29 Nov 2011, 5:40 AM MST

PHOENIX - An Australian man who pleaded guilty to being an alien in unlawful possession of a firearm was sentenced to two years in prison.

53-year-old Elie Malkoun of Victoria was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton in Phoenix.

Police pulled over Malkoun as he was driving on a freeway after he bought guns at a Glendale gunshow in March.

A search of the sedan's trunk turned up three handguns.

Malkoun had come into the U.S. on a tourist visa.

Prosecutors said Malkoun had been convicted in Australia about 20 years ago of heroin trafficking and lied about that fact on his application to come to the U.S.

It's generally illegal for immigrants who don't have permanent resident status to possess firearms in the U.S.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/ju ... x-11292011