Harrisburg Man Indicted On Cocaine And Firearm Charges

     The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Reginald Barton, Jr., 28, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg on charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of a Firearm in furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

     According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the charges are a result of an incident in which Barton allegedly shot at a Harrisburg Police officer during a traffic stop, fled, and was ultimately apprehended after discarding a firearm and a bag containing crack cocaine. 

     This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrisburg Police Bureau as part of a joint continuing effort to curb violent crime.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Taylor.

     Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

     A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

     In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.