A Youngstown, Ohio resident was sentenced on July 29 to 51 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release after being convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon and carrying a weapon on an aircraft, according to an Aug. 5 announcement from United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Luis Rojas Cay, age 29. The case stemmed from an incident on April 26, 2024, when Rojas Cay attempted to travel from Pittsburgh International Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Agents discovered his checked luggage contained a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, two unloaded handguns (one 9mm and one .40 SW caliber), and approximately 204 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
The firearms and ammunition were found concealed in packages wrapped in multiple layers of foil-backed tape inside a metal briefcase lined with sheet metal. This briefcase was then placed inside Rojas Cay’s checked suitcase. Authorities noted that Rojas Cay had previous convictions for robbery and attempted kidnapping in Kansas; federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted the case for the government. United States Attorney Rivetti said he commended “the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rojas Cay.”
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), described as “a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.” The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN on May 26, 2021, based on principles such as fostering trust in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence before it occurs, setting focused enforcement priorities, and measuring results.