FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count
indictment today against Jason Allen Celes, 37, of Modesto, charging him with
possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in
possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Celes was arrested in Modesto
in possession of methamphetamine packaged for sale and a loaded firearm with an
“auto-sear” device attached to it. Auto-sear devices are used to convert
semi-automatic firearms to fire as fully automatic machine guns. Celes is a
convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central
Valley Gang Impact Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the
California Department of Corrections, and the Modesto Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Celes faces a mandatory minimum penalty of
five years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a fine
up to $5 million. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for
everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the
Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S.
Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and
tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based
strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe
Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
No comments:
Post a Comment