Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Anthony Robinson, a/k/a, Anthony Harrison, 32, of Philadelphia, PA was convicted today at trial for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The evidence at trial showed that in April 2019, Philadelphia Police Officers responded to a report of a fight involving a man with a gun. The man was described as wearing a gray sweat suit with yellow lettering. When the officers arrived, defendant Robinson was dressed in the outfit described in the report, and he fled the scene. While attempting to run, the defendant discarded the weapon in his hand. After a brief struggle, officers apprehended the defendant and recovered the gun. As a previously convicted felon, Robinson was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Among the evidence presented were two surveillance videos that captured the defendant fleeing the scene and discarding the weapon.

“Reducing violent crime is a top priority of my Office and of the Department of Justice, and successful prosecutions of cases like this remain a key part of our deterrence strategy,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “We are committed to working with the Philadelphia Police Department and our federal partners to clear the streets of illegal firearms in the hands of convicted felons, which undeniably pose a serious threat to public safety in our City.”

“ATF’s top priority is combating violent crime; one of the ways we accomplish that mission is by keeping firearms out of the hands of violent offenders,” said Donald Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “This conviction is a perfect example of the collaborative effort between ATF and our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office in targeting violent offenders and protecting our communities.”

“The arrest and successful prosecution of Anthony Robinson, a recidivist offender, evidences the value of sustained collaboration between law enforcement partner agencies,” said Acting Philadelphia Police Commissioner Christine Coulter. “We anticipate that his conviction and attendant sentence will have an appreciable impact on the safety of the community we serve.”

The defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of ten years’ incarceration.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Gibson.