SCRANTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Yasin Abdul-Mattin, age 50, of Scranton, pleaded guilty on October 20, 2022, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Abdul-Mattin is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. During his guilty plea, Abdul-Mattin admitted that on January 20, 2022, he possessed a loaded 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. The charges stem from an incident in which members of the Scranton Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Abdul-Mattin’s vehicle on Luzerne Street in Scranton and found him in possession of that loaded 12-gauge shotgun.  

The charges against Abdul-Mattin resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Gallagher are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Under federal law, for the firearms charge, Abdul-Mattin faces a maximum sentence of ten years, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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