Former Hart sheriff gets 18-months sentence

LOUISVILLE — Former Hart County Sheriff Jeffrey Allen Staples was sentenced Monday to 18 months imprisonment in U.S. District Court after pleading guilty to possessing unregistered, modified shotguns.

Federal law mandates that modified rifles must be registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record if their barrel lengths are less than 16 inches. 

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Louisville office, police found rifles with barrel lengths of between three and five inches when raiding Staples' home in October 2005.

The 52-year-old Munfordville resident also will be under supervised release for two years after his release from federal prison, according to the February plea agreement.

Staples was Hart County sheriff for three terms between 1994 and 2006.