Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced for Violating Federal Firearms Laws

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh has been sentenced in federal court on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak sentenced Isaac Akwasi Duku, Jr., age 23, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to 34 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

According to information provided to the court, Duku Jr. has several prior convictions for firearm offenses, some of which involved drugs and indications of drug trafficking. On May 28, 2022, Duku Jr. unlawfully possessed a privately made .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol that was loaded with an extended magazine and 20 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Law enforcement observed and recorded Duku Jr. possessing this pistol in Pittsburgh’s North Side using the city’s surveillance system shortly before locating the pistol and ammunition near his person. Under federal law, a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing ammunition.

Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

This case was brought 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.