Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jerry Wesson, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on September 23, 2022, Wesson was wanted by the Rochester Police Department for an assault that had allegedly occurred on July 25, 2022. At approximately 12:30 p.m., officers saw Wesson in a van on Champlain Street and took him into custody. At that time, Wesson possessed a loaded .45 caliber pistol and ammunition. In In October 2012, and July 2018, Wesson was convicted of felonies in Monroe County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 5, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.