Austin Man Sentenced to 90 Days in Jail After Police Operation

Nineteen people were arrested in the APD operation that led to the conviction.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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A 34-year-old Austin man named Steve Ray Bolden was sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading guilty to theft of a firearm, a state jail felony, as part of a plea deal. Bolden was facing another charge for unlawful possession of a firearm, but it was dismissed as part of the plea agreement. He received a jail credit of two days toward his sentence.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by the Austin Police Department to crack down on gun-related crimes in the city. The 90-day jail sentence for Bolden is part of a broader operation that led to the arrests of 19 people, indicating the scale of the police's focus on addressing firearm offenses in the community.

The details

According to Travis County court documents, Steve Ray Bolden pleaded guilty to one count of theft of a firearm, a state jail felony. The unlawful possession of a firearm charge that Bolden was also facing was dismissed as part of the plea deal.

  • Bolden was sentenced on November 4, 2026.
  • The broader Austin Police Department operation that led to Bolden's arrest occurred in September 2025.

The players

Steve Ray Bolden

A 34-year-old Austin man who was sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading guilty to theft of a firearm.

Austin Police Department

The law enforcement agency that conducted the operation that led to Bolden's arrest and conviction.

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The takeaway

This case underscores the Austin Police Department's ongoing efforts to address gun-related crimes in the city, with the 90-day jail sentence for Bolden being part of a broader operation that led to the arrests of 19 people. The dismissal of the unlawful possession of a firearm charge as part of the plea deal suggests the importance of prosecutors and law enforcement working together to achieve convictions and appropriate sentences for firearm-related offenses.