Greenville Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Greenville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 77 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition after a prior felony conviction, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Devon Smith, 26.

According to information presented to the Court, on December 22, 2021, Smith unlawfully possessed two pistols and ammunition after having been convicted of drug trafficking and aggravated assault crimes through two state prosecutions in 2020 as well as several other crimes through prior state prosecutions. Smith was on parole for the drug trafficking and aggravated assault convictions at the time of his 2021 offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Smith.

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 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.