A Youngstown man was arrested today to face charges that he illegally possessed a firearm, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Brian K. Bellard, 43, possessed a Smith and Wesson, model SD40VE,.40 caliber pistol, and ammunition in October, despite a previous convictiion for cocaine, trafficking, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Youngstown Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason M. Katz.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
