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Press Release

Schenectady Felon Sentenced to 120 Months for Illegally Possessing Handgun and Ammunition

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York

ALBANY, NEW YORK – John Coffin, aka “Body,” age 49, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced on Tuesday to 120 months in prison for illegally possessing a handgun and ammunition.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Coffin, who has multiple, prior felonies for drug and assault offenses, was convicted of possessing the handgun and ammunition after a 5-day jury trial in November 2018.  The evidence at trial showed that Coffin provided a Walther P22 .22 caliber firearm, which he described as “the murderer’s gun,” and 9 rounds of ammunition, to another man in Schenectady.  The jury acquitted Coffin on a second charge, of possessing a separate firearm, a 9mm Hi-Point rifle, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also sentenced Coffin to 5 years of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment.

This prosecution resulted from an investigation by the FBI and its Capital District Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the Schenectady Police Department, the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York Air National Guard.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne A. Myers.

Updated May 17, 2019

Topic
Firearms Offenses