McKeesport Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 37 months of imprisonment on his conviction of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Richard L. Edwards Jr., 49.

According to information presented to the Court, Edwards was serving probation following a 2023 conviction for which he was sentenced to five years of county probation and 18 months of electronic home monitoring. While on approved grocery windows on both May 25, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Edwards stopped with his wife at a local firearms store, where his wife purchased a firearm on each occasion. In light of the two unauthorized stops, Westmoreland County Adult Probation conducted a search of Edwards’ residence on August 9, 2024, where they located multiple firearms and ammunition in Edwards’ bedroom and requested the assistance of the McKeesport Police Department. In total, law enforcement seized four firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun, and numerous rounds of ammunition from Edwards’ bedroom. Edwards is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition based upon his prior convictions for robbery and simple assault—both of which involved his use and threatened use of a firearm.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Westmoreland County Adult Probation, the McKeesport Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Edwards.