Wilkinsburg Felon Charged with Firearms Law Violation

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

The one-count Indictment named Raymond Hammond, 27, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on October 16, 2019, City of Pittsburgh Police officers arrested Hammond for possessing a Smith and Wesson model M&P Shield .45 caliber hand gun and .45 caliber ammunition, after having been convicted of crimes punishable by more than one year in prison.  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 10 years in prison, a fine of $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, if any, of the defendant. 

Assistant United States Attorney Christy C. Wiegand is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police 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.