Turtle Creek Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing Guns

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

The one-count indictment, returned on March 21, named Hashim Rashad, age 25, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, on October 18, 2017, Rashad possessed two firearms. Rashad is a convicted felon, who has previously been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and is prohibited by federal law from possessing any firearms.

The law provides for a sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense, and the criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police – Narcotics and Vice Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

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