Michael Patrick Anderson, a Lehi resident, has been charged by federal authorities for owning and trying to sell guns, which is illegal because he was previously convicted for three felonies.
Anderson, 44, had been convicted under a different name, Michael Patrick Lauderman, in Colorado, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
Anderson was allegedly selling guns on an Internet classifieds ad site.
A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives checked with the Web site for things Anderson had listed for sale and found 12 guns the agent said Anderson had listed, including a Steyr 9mm pistol and a Glock 10mm pistol.
An undercover law enforcement official called Anderson and set up a gun purchase in Lehi while the special agent listened in through a transmitter, according to the federal complaint. The special agent said he heard gun sale discussions with a negotiated price of $400 for the Steyr pistol. The undercover agent brought the newly purchased weapon back and the special agent recovered it.
Law enforcement officials also got a Utah driver's license picture of Anderson that showed the same man at the sale, according to court records. They also checked the name "Michael Patrick Lauderman" on Utah's computerized court records and found that a man in 4th District in Provo had petitioned the court for a name change to Michael Patrick Anderson, which was granted in 2000.
He currently is being held in jail, although the exact jail location was unavailable at press time, according a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
If convicted, Anderson could face a prison term of 10 years behind bars.
E-mail: lindat@desnews.com