Centralia Man Gets Five Year Federal Sentence for Firearms Offenses

Centralia resident Brandon Hoskins has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm in connection with a drug offense.

The 32-year-old Hoskins was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and to serve three years of supervised release after he is released from prison.

In November of 2014, the Buchheit of Centralia farm and home supply store was burglarized and 39 firearms were stolen, along with at least one thousand rounds of ammunition. Evidence established that two of the guns stolen during the Buchheit’s burglary were eventually transferred to Brandon Hoskins. When agents went to Hoskins’ home on December 5, 2014, to search for the stolen firearms, they discovered a separate Glock pistol in his bedroom, along with an amount of heroin, a drug log book, and drug packaging materials. Hoskins admitted that he kept that firearm as protection related to his drug dealing.

The two stolen firearms were eventually recovered by law enforcement officials. Hoskins pleaded guilty on August 11 in United States District Court. Centralia Police and agents from the ATF identified the suspects soon after the burglary and have recovered 37 of the 39 stolen guns. Anyone with knowledge of the remaining stolen firearms or the ammunition is encouraged to call law enforcement.

The investigation is being conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Centralia Police Department, along with the Clinton County State’s Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.