Brockton Man Sentenced for Federal Firearm and Drug Offenses

BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for firearm and drug charges.

Kawana Tillman, 48, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. In November 2019, Tillman pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 28 grams of cocaine base. Tillman was arrested on April 30, 2019, and has been in custody since.

On March 10, 2018, Tillman was illegally in possession of a Glock, Model 26, 9mm semi-automatic handgun and three rounds of 9mm ammunition. Tillman has prior felony drug conspiracy and firearm convictions, and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. On March 19, 2018, and April 30, 2019, Tillman was in possession of various amounts of cocaine base.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.