St. Joseph man with prior convictions gets 5.5 five years for having ammo

URBANA — A St. Joseph man has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for having firearm ammunition last year that he wasn’t allowed to have due to prior convictions.

Champaign County Judge Matt Lee handed down the sentence Tuesday to Nathaniel J. Bascomb, 40, after he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon.

In exchange for the negotiated plea, the state dropped one charge of domestic battery and another that accused Bascomb of being an armed habitual criminal.

A Champaign County sheriff’s deputy’s report said a woman told police that she had been arguing with Bascomb on May 8, 2023, when he allegedly threatened her with an AR-15 style rifle.

When police later searched Bascomb’s residence, they located ammunition, and he later admitted to officers that it was his, Assistant State’s Attorney Troy Lozar said.

Court records show that Bascomb has previous convictions for domestic battery, robbery, burglary and residential burglary. He had credit for 359 days already served in jail.