Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

PITTSBURGH -A Pittsburgh-area gang member has been sentenced in federal court to two years of imprisonment on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Cathy M. Bissoon imposed the sentence on Tre Goins, 24, of Pittsburgh, PA.

According to information presented to the court, Goins was a member of the "TRAPPLE" street gang in the East End area of the City of Pittsburgh. On June 23, 2017, a 17-year-old boy was shot to death near 6426 Apple Avenue, the headquarters of the gang. Goins was observed by police leaving the alley behind this residence with an object tucked to his waist. That item was discovered to be the murder weapon used by another gang member during the killing. Since the defendant had two prior convictions for gun offenses in state court, he was also prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon heard testimony from the mother of the deceased victim as she described what his death meant to her and the family. Based in part upon a sentencing guideline range of 24 to 30 months, Judge Bissoon determined that 24 months of incarceration, a $10,000 fine, and supervision by the United States Probation Office for the maximum period of three years after his release from federal prison, was the sentence that was sufficient but not more than necessary in this matter. The Judge ordered that her sentence run concurrent with any future sentence imposed by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole as a result of committing the federal gun offense while on state parole for two prior gun convictions.

Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt, of the Major Crimes and Violent Crimes Sections of the United States Attorney’s Office, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Goins.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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