Multi-Convicted Felon Charged with Firearms Violations

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

The one-count Indictment named Mitchell Thompson, age 21, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on August 30, 2018, Thompson unlawfully possessed a Glock 9 millimeter pistol, after having been convicted of crimes punishable by more than one year in prison. Those convictions include one conviction for a firearms violation and one conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $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 Christy C. Wiegand is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Bureau and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wilkinsburg Police Department, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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.