Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Frederick Stokes, 36, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possessing ammunition while being a convicted felon, was sentenced to 63 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge David G. Larimer.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Gestring and Charles E. Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that Stokes was previously convicted in 2002 in Monroe County of Forgery in the Second Degree and in 1999 in Oneida County of Assault in the Second Degree. As a result of these previous convictions, the defendant was prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition.

On April 12, 2013, members of the Rochester Police Department Tactical Unit arrested Stokes in the area of Ringle Street and Post Avenue in Rochester. Officers were looking for the defendant in connection with an unrelated investigation.  When officers attempted to take Stokes into custody, he ran from them which resulted in a foot chase. During the chase, the defendant discarded a dark, denim jacket in the area of 93 Post Avenue. Officers arrested Stokes in front of 95 Post Avenue and recovered the jacket nearby. They found seven rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, which were placed inside of a magazine for a Sturm Ruger .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, inside one of the jacket pockets.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of James S. Higgins, Acting Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction Chief Michael Ciminelli.