McKeesport Felon Charged with Illegal Gun Possession

PITTSBURGH - 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 Jajuan Cash, age 24, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on October 17, 2020, Cash possessed a firearm, specifically a Glock semi-automatic pistol, knowing he had been previously convicted of Aggravated Assault, in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, on May 7, 2018. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. However, if it is determined that the defendant has three previous convictions for a violent felony or a serious drug offense, or both, then the term of imprisonment is not less than 15 years to a maximum of life imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

The case is being prosecution 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.