Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Schenectady Woman Charged With Possession of a Defaced Firearm
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nakia Barber, age 46, of Schenectady, New York, was charged by criminal complaint today with unlawfully possessing a defaced firearm. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The charge filed against Barber alleges that she possessed a defaced Walther P22 .22 caliber pistol on October 30, 2018. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Barber appeared today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.
The charge filed against Barber carries a maximum sentence of 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.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and the Schenectady County Sherriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.