PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Kevin Jamelle Archie, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was convicted today at trial of one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
On Sept. 10, 2016, Philadelphia Police officers arrested the defendant after responding to a 911 call and finding him in possession of a firearm loaded with ten rounds of ammunition at the corner of Frankford Avenue and East Pacific Street in the Harrowgate section of lower Northeast Philadelphia. The defendant had previously been convicted of a felony - possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances - which barred him from legally possessing a firearm.
“Reducing violent crime is a top priority of my Office and of the Department of Justice, and successful prosecutions of cases like this remain a key part of our deterrence strategy," said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “My Office is committed to working with the Philadelphia Police Department to clear the city streets of firearms in the hands of convicted felons, which undeniably pose a serious threat to the safety of all residents."
“Public safety is the core responsibility of all who work in the field of law enforcement. Regardless of our specific agencies or titles, keeping our communities safe is at the heart of our primary mission," said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross. “In order for us to accomplish our mission, collaboration between our law enforcement partners, the community, and initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods must remain a priority. The investigation, arrest, and successful prosecution of Mr. Archie serves as evidence of the effectiveness of strong and consistent collaboration between stakeholder agencies."
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tom Zaleski.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
