A McKeesport, Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 76 months in federal prison and 46 months of supervised release for violating federal firearms law. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand sentenced Thomas Thornton, 49, following his conviction. According to information presented in court, on December 19, 2024, Thornton fired ten rounds from a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol into an occupied residence in Pittsburgh. Officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police detained Thornton within minutes of the shooting. A search of his vehicle led to the recovery of the firearm used in the incident.
At the time of this offense, Thornton was on federal supervised release after serving a previous 37-month sentence for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Rivetti recognized the efforts of both the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their roles in investigating and prosecuting Thornton’s case.
"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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results," according to United States Attorney Rivetti.
