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Press Release

Troy Felon Sentenced to 51 Months for Illegally Possessing Firearm

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joshua Vega, age 28, of Troy, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 51 months in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Relford of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

Vega, who has a 2014 felony conviction for criminal sale of a controlled substance (heroin), previously admitted that on April 14, 2018, he possessed a loaded firearm located in his apartment in Troy. 

Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue also sentenced Vega to a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the FBI Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Troy Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Giglio Suarez.

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.

Updated December 11, 2020

Topic
Firearms Offenses