Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Two people were indicted for firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.

 

Charles L. Pete, 23, of Youngstown, was indicted on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges Pete possessed a Norinco, model MAK90, 7.62 mm rifle and ammunition on Aug. 7, 2017, after having been convicted of drug trafficking and other offenses in 2015.

 

Andre Ellison, 29, of Cleveland, was indicted on charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition. The indictment alleges Ellison possessed ammunition on June 20, 2017, after having been convicted of felonious assault and domestic violence in 2011.

 

The cases are not related.

 

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

The Pete case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Katz.

 

The Ellison case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant. U.S. Attorney Megan Miller.

 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.