Firearms Charge Filed Against Canton Man

A federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a one-count indictment charging Larico Wesley, aka Rico, age 33, of Canton, Ohio, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Wesley was arrested on October 31, 2013 by members of the FBI Stark County Safe Street Task Force and Canton Police after an investigation conducted by Canton Police Department. 

On August 25, 2013, Canton Police responded to calls of shots fired in the 700 block of Fourth Street, SW. Upon arrival officers observed Wesley pacing near and around a black SUV in the parking lot.  Further investigation pertaining to Wesley’s physical location revealed a semi-automatic handgun on the bumper of the vehicle, according to the indictment.

If convicted, his sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including his prior criminal record, if any, his role in the offenses and the unique characteristics of the violations.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Dirksen.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.