Syracuse Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Possession of a Handgun as a Convicted Felon

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Cedric L. Hudson, Jr., age 37, of Syracuse, was sentenced yesterday to serve 96 months (8 years) in federal prison for his possession of a firearm as a prior convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

On October 17, 2022, New York State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Hudson in the Town of Dewitt for traffic violations. The registration of his car was expired, and Hudson advised he had no driver’s license. When informed that the vehicle would be towed, Hudson told New York State Troopers that there was a handgun and ammunition in the passenger compartment. A .45 caliber Hi Point pistol and a loaded ammunition magazine were recovered from the interior of the vehicle. When interviewed, Hudson said he intended to sell the handgun.

Records checks revealed that Hudson was previously convicted of several prior felonies in New York State and North Carolina and was the subject of an active arrest warrant for absconding from parole in North Carolina. While detained awaiting sentencing on the instant federal firearm charge, Hudson was arrested and charged with bringing drugs into the Oneida County Jail. He is presumed innocent on both his North Carolina Parole absconding violation and his pending Oneida County charge of Promoting Prison Contraband in the Second Degree (misdemeanor) unless or until proven guilty.   

The New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit (NYSP-Community Stabilization), Troop D Uniform Patrol (NYSP-Troop D), and the FBI Syracuse Resident Agency investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.