Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Loaded Handgun

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Darryl Flannagan, age 26, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition while subject to an order of protection. 

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

Flannagan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced on January 4, 2017 by Senior U.S. District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. 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. 

As part of his plea, Flannagan admitted that on May 19, 2016, a Schenectady Police Officer stopped and questioned him as he was on his way to deliver a loaded handgun to a friend.  Flannagan was acting nervously and wearing a heavy, leather coat on a warm day.  When the Officer ordered Flannagan to put the coat on the ground, Flannagan dropped the coat and attempted to flee, but was quickly arrested.  In the coat, Officers found a 9 millimeter handgun loaded with 6 rounds of ammunition. 

On the day he possessed the gun, Flannagan was the subject of a Colonie Town Court order of protection, which prohibited him from having almost any contact with his child’s mother.  Because Flannagan was subject to this order, he was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. 

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Schenectady Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.