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 Steven D. Brinson, age 32, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on diverse dates in December 2021 and January and March 2022, Brinson possessed firearms, including a non-serialized AR-style “ghost gun,” and ammunition, despite having a prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John and Special Assistant U.S. 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, 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.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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