Tomez Faulkner, a 38-year-old resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm. The case stems from an incident on Interstate 70 in Ohio County, West Virginia, where sheriff’s deputies found Faulkner stopped with hazard lights flashing and discovered a 9mm pistol in his vehicle. Due to previous convictions for drug and assault offenses, Faulkner is barred from owning firearms.
He now faces a potential sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal considerations.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms along with the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. The proceedings are under the supervision of U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone.
