McKeesport Felon Charged with Illegal Gun Possession

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count indictment named David Belton, 37, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on May 30, 2019, David Belton possessed a Fabrique Nationale Herstal semi-automatic handgun. It is unlawful for Belton, who has previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, to possess a firearm.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and the McKeesport Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.