Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ALBANY, N.Y. — Rodell Patterson, 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty today to engaging in the firearms business without a license.

U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

Patterson admitted to mailing 8 packages containing a total of 10 firearms from Baton Rouge to the Capital Region in 2021 and 2022. Two of those firearms were recovered in June 2022 in the Troy, New York, apartment of a man on parole. Patterson acknowledged that he knew these transfers were unlawful, and he admitted to engaging in extensive conversations with the recipient of the packages about the types of firearms and the amount of payment.   

At sentencing, Patterson faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Patterson still faces a charge in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. That charge is merely an accusation of which Patterson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of that charge, Patterson faces up to 15 years in prison. 

ATF’s Albany Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and ATF’s Baton Rouge Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.

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