Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine and Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Philadelphia, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 420 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on John T. Terry, age 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On August 25, 2022, a jury found John Terry guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and cocaine, between March 30, 2018, and April 4, 2018. 

Further, on August 26, 2022, District Judge Kim R. Gibson found Terry guilty of unlawfully possessing a loaded, stolen Smith & Wesson M&P Shield .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On June 2, 1998, Terry was convicted in United States District Court for the Eastern District of PA, of interference with interstate commerce by robber for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, both of which are crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Federal law prohibits persons who have been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing firearms.

Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Mr. Olshan commended the Laurel Highlands Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police SHIELD Unit, and the Somerset Turnpike Barracks, for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Terry.