Melvindale man pleads guilty after police recover 18 weapons, fake fed IDs from home
MELVINDALE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Melvindale man pleaded guilty to several charges related to illegal firearm possession on Tuesday – after being found with 18 guns and 2 counterfeit law enforcement badges earlier this year.
Saliah Algahmi, 37, has been charged with "unlawful possession of a firearm by a person who has been committed to a mental institution, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number," according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
On May 19, Algahmi reportedly shot at his wife while she was in her car, according to court records.
This led to a search of the couple's Melvindale home on June 8 – where investigators found 18 guns, including four that were stolen and at least one machine gun, according to the attorney's office. A fake Drug Enforcement Agency badge and a fake Department of Defense (DOD) badge were also recovered.
Algahmi is not allowed to possess firearms after being court-ordered to a hospital for mental health.
"Even as violent crime rates have fallen this year, violence in our community remains unacceptably high," said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. "The unlawful use and possession of firearms by a few dangerous individuals continues to drive that violence. And so, we will continue to focus our efforts on identifying and prosecuting those drivers of violence."
Algahmi is currently held in custody, awaiting a scheduled sentencing at a later date.
Investigators find fake fed badges, stolen guns after man allegedly shoots at wife in Detroit alley
An investigation after a man allegedly shot at his wife in a Detroit alley led police to fake badges and a cache of guns, including stolen firearms, at his Melvindale home.
"All people deserve to feel safe in their relationships. Algahmi’s repeated use of firearms to commit domestic violence is unacceptable," said James Deir, a Detroit special agent with Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The ATF conducted the investigation of this case, with support from the Detroit Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Violent and Organized Crime Unit within the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.