Albany Felon Sentenced to 51 Months for Illegally Possessing a Loaded, Stolen Firearm

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jahmeek Croley, a/k/a “Meeker,” age 33, of Albany, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm as a felon.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon; Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Eric Hawkins of the Albany Police Department.

Croley, who has prior felony convictions for drug and weapons offenses, previously admitted that in November 2019, he possessed a loaded 9mm pistol at his residence in Albany.  Croley further admitted to purchasing the pistol – which had been stolen from a Vermont residence in 2015 – in the city of Albany in October 2019.

Croley was arrested on November 14, 2019, as part of an operation targeting the Yard Boys criminal street gang undertaken by the Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Croley has been in custody since his arrest.  Croley has additional charges pending in Albany County Court.

Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also sentenced Croley to a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment

This case was investigated by the FBI and its Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, ATF and the Albany Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

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.