Bakersfield Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment yesterday against Myron Raphael Tucker, 33, of Bakersfield, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on May 10, 2022, members of the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force were attempting to take Tucker into custody for outstanding charges when he fled on foot to evade capture. As Tucker ran, officers saw him throw a loaded firearm into a pile of furniture in the backyard of a residence. The firearm was loaded with five rounds of Winchester ammunition that was not manufactured in California and an unidentified round of ammunition. Tucker has prior felony convictions for second degree robbery, assault with a firearm, and recklessly evading arrest.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force, Bakersfield Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Tucker faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.