Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Troy Man Sentenced for Gun and Drug Crimes
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Vashawn Dawkins, age 24, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 60 months and one day in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
The sentence followed Dawkins’s November 22, 2016 guilty plea. U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release.
On August 8, 2016, Dawkins possessed more than 500 grams of cocaine together with a 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol hidden in a basement closet along with other drugs and drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale and chemicals used to convert powder cocaine to crack cocaine. As part of his plea, Dawkins admitted that he purchased the gun in exchange for cash and crack cocaine.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Albany Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon B. Shinerock.
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