Department of Justice

PITTSBURGH – A Washington County resident was sentenced today in federal court to 84 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release on his conviction for violating the federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on James Roosevelt Leach, 47, of Washington, Pennsylvania, for the crime of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

According to information presented to the Court, on December 14, 2016, the Pennsylvania State Police performed a traffic stop on a vehicle near the City of Washington, Washington County (Pennsylvania) at which time troopers found Leach in possession of a loaded, stolen 9mm caliber Ruger pistol, and a box of 9mm ammunition. Federal law prohibits Leach, a felon previously convicted in the Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Pennsylvania, of crimes including rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Pennsylvania State Police, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.