HUNTSVILLE (KFSM) — A Huntsville man who claimed he was hunting ISIS camps in Madison County has pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge, but he still faces one count of criminal impersonation at the state level, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Gregg Alfred Nicholas pleaded guilty Friday (Oct. 27) to possessing a firearm as a felon after Huntsville police found several weapons at his home on Madison 3044 in Huntsville.
Nicholas is free on a $5,000 bond. His sentencing hearing hasn’t been set.
Nicholas was convicted in 2007 of felony criminal possession of a weapon while living in New York, court documents show. As a convicted felon, Nicholas can’t legally own a firearm.
Nicholas first drew attention from authorities in April, when he told a local sports store he was in Madison County to investigate ISIS camps for the Department of Homeland Security.
Nicholas also asked the shop to sew DHS patches onto camouflage t-shirts, according to police.
Nicholas was driving a grey Chevrolet 3500 pickup with multiple DHS decals on the side windows, back glass, and tailgate, said Todd Thomas, Huntsville police chief.
The vehicle was also equipped with a siren and red and blue flashing lights, Thomas said.
When initially confronted by police, Nicholas provided a counterfeit identification portraying him as a Presidential Wildlife Task Force Agent with DHS.
Nicholas later denied ever being a sworn law enforcement officer and said he collects badges and other police memorabilia, according to court documents.
Police searched Nicholas’ home, which he shared with his elderly mother, and found 14 firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives later determined four of the weapons crossed state lines.
Nicholas has pleaded not guilty to a one count of criminal impersonation, a Class D felony. His hearing is set for Dec. 12 in Madison County Circuit Court.
State law defines criminal impersonation as a person using a vehicle “designed, equipped, or marked so as to resemble … a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency,” according to Arkansas Code Annotated 5-37-208.
If convicted, Nicholas faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.