Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty After Being Caught With Meth and Gun in a Car
BUFFALO, N.Y. U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jacob Graham, 19, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara possessing with intent to distribute five grams or more of actual methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on May 07, 2019, Jamestown Police officers observed two males fighting with another male in the area of Crescent and Cheney Streets. The suspects quickly got into a silver vehicle and sped away from the scene. Detectives followed the suspect vehicle in an unmarked police car, but also requested the assistance of a marked patrol unit. The marked patrol unit initiated a traffic stop at the driveway of a residence on Lincoln Street in Jamestown.
A detective approached the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the front passenger door. Inside, the detective observed two baggies of what appeared to be methamphetamine. The front seat passenger, identified as defendant Graham, exited the vehicle and was placed under arrest. Another officer approached the driver's side door of the vehicle and had the driver exit the vehicle. The driver was also placed under arrest. A back seat passenger was detained but later released.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a book bag which contained a loaded 12 gauge shotgun. The book bag also contained a digital scale with
white powder residue on it and 16 rounds of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition. A records check determined that the firearm was stolen from a Federal Firearms Licensee in Hamilton, Ohio in March 2017.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. District Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and is being held.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2020, before Judge Arcara.
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