Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Pittsburgh Felon, with Prior Convictions for Drug and Domestic Violence Crimes, Admits to Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm
PITTSBURGH, PA- A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to of federal firearms violations, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Kellan Hanner, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on November 1, 2017, two Pittsburgh Police Officers were on patrol in the Hill District assisting in a call for a foot pursuit for a male with a firearm. The officers observed a group of three males, and noticed that one of them, later identified as Hanner, appeared to have a large weighted object in the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. The court was further informed that Hanner fled when the police officers attempted to question him, and that officers witnessed the defendant throwing a firearm into a sewer, which was later recovered. Hanner has a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver heroin and prior misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and as such, is prohibited from lawfully possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for April 9, 2019 at 10:00 AM. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Hanner remains incarcerated pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Pittsburgh Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Hanner. This case was brought under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.