United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Naquor Berry, 28, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment with possession of ammunition by a felon, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, all stemming from a dangerous high-speed incident which unfolded on the Schuylkill Expressway.
The Indictment alleges that on September 12, 2021, Philadelphia Police Department officers observed the defendant commit a traffic violation and attempted to pull him over. Berry fled in his vehicle, travelling on I-76 West toward the Roosevelt Boulevard exit. As the officers pursued him with lights on, the defendant began speeding and swerving in and out around other vehicles. Berry’s vehicle struck two vehicles and ultimately crashed into the median on I-76, rendering his vehicle immobile. The defendant then got out of the vehicle and fled from police on foot, jumping off the overpass onto Route 1 Northbound, an approximately 40-foot drop, injuring his leg. When officers searched the vehicle that Berry was driving, they recovered an AR-15 style rifle, commonly referred to as a ghost gun because there is no serial number, loaded with 10 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition, marijuana packaged for resale, and two sticks of dynamite.
“The defendant’s alleged actions, both the charged conduct and his potentially deadly escapades on the highway, presented a serious threat to the safety of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “This indictment should serve as an example to others who have previously been convicted of felony offenses and are considering carrying firearms, even untraceable firearms, that we will use every law enforcement tool at our disposal to find and stop you. If you choose to illegally carry a firearm, you are going to face serious federal charges.”
“ATF is committed to protecting the citizens of our community from dangerous people,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The community is extremely lucky nobody was seriously injured as a result of the defendant’s alleged actions. We will continue to work with all our local, state, and federal partners to keep the people of the Commonwealth safe.”
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.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, a five-year period of supervised release, a $750,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Katherine A. McDermott.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
