HARRISBURG — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a York, Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 15 years in prison today by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Sylvia H. Rambo, for possessing a firearm.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Charles Swan, age 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg in April of 2013 and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon in May 2014. Swan was arrested on July 12, 2012, by York City Police officers after a brief foot pursuit. During the chase, Swan threw a .40 caliber pistol onto a nearby building, which police ultimately recovered.
At the time that he possessed the gun, Swan had previously been convicted three times by local authorities for drug trafficking. Federal law requires that a convicted felon who possesses a firearm -- with three or more prior convictions for drug trafficking or crimes of violence -- receive a sentence of at least 15 years in prison.
Judge Rambo also ordered that Swan pay a fine of $1,600, and that upon his release from prison, he serve three years of supervised release under the supervision of the United States Office of Probation.
The prosecution was the result of an investigation by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the York City Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Consiglio.
This case is part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a districtwide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes.
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