Fresno Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm

FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Charles Garrett, 24, of Fresno, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department as part of the Project SAFE Neighborhoods initiative in which local, state and federal law enforcement join forces to combat gun and gang violence. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberley Sanchez is prosecuting the case.

According to court documents, on October 3, 2011, Garrett possessed a .40–caliber Beretta pistol, after having been convicted of a felony offense in March 24, 2011 for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Garrett is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on July 9, 2012. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.