Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession

BOSTON – A Brockton man with two prior federal firearm convictions pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to a federal firearms charge.

Darnell Upshaw, 35, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2018.

On May 10, 2017, police officers responded to a report of shots fired on Owens Avenue in Brockton. Based on information provided at the scene, law enforcement officers  suspected that Upshaw was responsible for the shooting and began surveillance of his house. Subsequently, officers observed a vehicle matching the description of the shooter’s vehicle arrive and park near Upshaw’s house, where two men exited the vehicle. Minutes later, Upshaw was observed leaving his house and driving away in a black SUV. 

The officers followed the SUV and when it stopped, Upshaw exited and took off running with his right arm braced tightly against his side. The officers followed Upshaw as he fled, climbed over a fence and entered his girlfriend’s mother’s house. Upshaw was apprehended inside the house and a loaded firearm was found lying on top of a pile of lawn clippings near the fence Upshaw had climbed. Subsequent lab analysis revealed that Upshaw’s shirt bore traces of gunshot primer residue.      

The charge of being a felon in possession a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.​

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Begg Lawrence of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.