Pittsburgh Man Serving Life Sentence for Drug and Firearms Crimes Sentenced to More Than Nine Additional Years in Prison for Assault of His Attorney and Contempt of Court

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to an additional 110 months in prison on his convictions of contempt and assault, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on James Taric Byrd, 46, and ordered that Byrd’s sentence be served consecutive to sentences Byrd is currently serving from other cases.

According to information presented to the Court, on July 18, 2022, Byrd struck his attorney in a courtroom during federal criminal trial proceedings in a separate prosecution. Byrd was ultimately sentenced to a term of life imprisonment in 2023 after a jury found him guilty of firearms and narcotics crimes (read the Sentencing news release here). Byrd was also convicted and sentenced for rape and other offenses in 2024 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.

“This defendant’s vicious attack upon his court-appointed defense attorney within the walls of the Joseph F. Weis Jr. U.S. Courthouse was an assault upon the rule of law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “The substantial, consecutive sentence here mirrors the severity of his conduct. We commend the United States Marshals for their quick response and professionalism throughout the prosecution of this defendant.”

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Colville considered victim impact and the defendant’s lengthy criminal history. Noting the very serious nature of the offenses, Judge Colville stated that the sentence was appropriate to help ensure that Byrd and other defendants do not engage in such actions in the future.

Assistant United States Attorneys DeMarr Moulton and Soo C. Song prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Marshals Service and Allegheny County Police conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Byrd.