York County Man Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Firearms Offenses And Drug Trafficking

     The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District Pennsylvania announced today that Brandon Dawson, age 29 of York pleaded not guilty today before United States Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab in federal court in Harrisburg.  A federal grand jury indicted Dawson for distributing heroin and marijuana and possession of firearms on June 11, 2014.

     According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, on October 23, 2013, the York County Quick Response Team executed a search warrant at Dawson’s apartment on Cottage Place, York, and allegedly found reinforced doors, surveillance cameras, heroin, marijuana, drug trafficking materials, ammunition, and a stolen firearm. Dawson has a prior federal conviction for drug trafficking and a firearms offense, which makes it unlawful for him to possess a firearm.   

     The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and York City Police Department and assigned to Special Assistant United States Attorney David Sunday, of the York County District Attorney’s Office.

     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 these particular cases, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is life imprisonment and 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.