PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Cheron Shelton, age 33, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
"This case is about law enforcement working together: there is no gap between the shields," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "This outcome is only possible because of the collaboration of the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, ATF, and the Wilkinsburg Police Department. This plea will prevent a violent offender from rejoining our community anytime soon."
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on March 11, 2016, homicide detectives from the Allegheny County Police Department and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant at Cheron Shelton’s mother’s residence in the Homewood North section of Pittsburgh as part of the investigation into the mass murder committed in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, on March 9, 2016. In the residence, investigators recovered a.22 caliber rifle with an extended magazine and loaded with ammunition, as well as documents tying Cheron Shelton to the residence. The rifle, which had been reported stolen in June 2015, was processed for forensic evidence, and one of Shelton’s fingerprints was recovered from the rifle. The court was advised that this rifle was not used in the mass murder committed in Wilkinsburg on March 9, 2016.
Shelton has a previous conviction in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for April 22, 2021 The law provides for a total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant remain detained.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan Conway and Doug Maloney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is the result of a collaborative effort among the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Wilkinsburg Police Department provided substantial assistance with this case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
