Pittsburgh Resident Indicted on Drug and Felony Firearms Charges

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal drug and federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

The three-count Superseding Indictment named Elijah Hanna, 25, as the sole defendant in this case.

According to the Superseding Indictment, on December 12, 2023, Hanna possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, and possessed a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

The law provides for a maximum possible sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $3,000,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this 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.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.