Arthur Thompson, 40, of Philadelphia, was convicted on Apr. 10 of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to United States Attorney David Metcalf.
Thompson's conviction marks his second gun-related guilty verdict in under two weeks. The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address illegal firearm possession among individuals with prior felony convictions.
Court filings and trial evidence show that on October 18, 2023, investigators from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force conducted an operation to locate Thompson due to an active arrest warrant. Surveillance was maintained on North Percy Street in Philadelphia where investigators observed two people believed to be Thompson and his girlfriend in a parked car. After several hours, the vehicle left the area and later dropped off the female passenger before continuing on.
Members of the task force kept visual contact with the vehicle and coordinated with Philadelphia Police Department Highway Patrol officers who stopped it after receiving its location details. The driver was identified as Arthur Thompson and arrested on the outstanding warrant. A search warrant executed on his vehicle led investigators to recover a loaded 9mm handgun. As someone previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, Thompson was not legally allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
This recent conviction follows another verdict reached March 31 when a federal jury found him guilty in a separate case for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Sentencing for both cases is scheduled for July 8; each charge carries up to fifteen years in prison.
The investigation involved collaboration between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Gun Violence Task Force; and Philadelphia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena are prosecuting.
