Man gets prison for stolen vape pens, guns

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A man linked to the thefts of thousands of vape pens, as well as guns and marijuana products, was sentenced this week to a minimum of 18 months in prison.

When he was arrested last year, Kevin H. Nguyen admitted to peddling stolen merchandise and buying stolen guns, court records show.

Police carted the stolen items from his residence at a mobile home park in Kent County’s Gaines Township. The haul included more than 2,000 Breeze vape pens and hundreds of marijuana products, court records show.

Nguyen told Kent County Sheriff’s Office detectives “that he was aware the products he was selling were stolen,” court records show.

He was charged with several felonies, including three weapons offenses and receiving and concealing stolen property. He entered guilty pleas to three of the charges and the others were dismissed.

A Kent County judge this week sentenced Nguyen to 1.5 to five years in prison. He remains in the Kent County jail, awaiting transfer to custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections.

After his October arrest, Nguyen told Kent County detectives he knew the items were stolen from dispensaries “because the individuals he would purchase them from were in jail,” according to court records.

Detectives seized eight handguns, two of which were stolen. One handgun had a switch attached, essentially modifying it to a machine gun.

“Three additional switches were located during the search,” according to court documents. “Kevin also admitted to detectives during his interview that he was aware the firearms were stolen when he purchased them.”

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