James Edwards, a 30-year-old resident of Rensselaer, New York, has entered a guilty plea for the unlawful possession of multiple rounds of ammunition. The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
During his guilty plea, Edwards conceded that on October 8, 2024, he had over 40 rounds of ammunition of various calibers in his Rensselaer home. His prior felony conviction made it illegal for him to possess the ammunition.
Edwards is scheduled for sentencing on August 5, 2025. He could face up to fifteen years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. The final sentence will be determined by a judge, taking into account the specific statute violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The investigation into this case is being conducted by the FBI with support from the Rensselaer Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Prosecuting the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss under the framework of Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s main program for reducing violent crime. An evidence-based initiative, PSN effectively reduces violent crime through the collaboration of various community stakeholders to identify and address the most significant violent crime issues. This strategy emphasizes enforcement against the most violent offenders and partnerships with local prevention and reentry programs to achieve sustainable crime reduction. More information on Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psn.
