Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

PITTSBURGH - One resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The 10-count indictment, returned on August 7 and unsealed yesterday, named Sean Jamar Gaines, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.

On July 30, 2014, May 26, 2016, and September 23, 2017, Gaines made false statements to a licensed firearm dealer in the acquisition of firearms and also made false statements on a federal firearms form in the acquisition of firearms.

The defendant faces a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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