Department of Justice

Katterin McCray, 25, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 15, 2022, police officers in Bakersfield attempted to stop a vehicle in which McCray was the passenger for traffic infractions. The vehicle sped off and McCray discarded from the vehicle a Glock, Model 22, 40 caliber handgun with a high-capacity magazine and ammunition near the intersection of Cottonwood Road and Casa Loma Drive in Bakersfield. Because of his criminal record, including a 2017 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and a 2018 conviction for receiving known stolen property, McCray may not lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.

McCray is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Dec. 12, 2022. McCray faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.