Fresno Felon Sentenced for Firearm Possession
FRESNO, Calif. – United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Chief United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii sentenced Jalaam Paggett, 29, of Fresno, today to four years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Every time we deny convicted felons access to firearms, we prevent imminent violent acts from occurring in our neighborhoods,
stated Stephen C. Herkins, ATF Special Agent in Charge. ATF and our partners will not submit to those who are a danger to our communities and who are prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department as part of the Project SAFE Neighborhoods initiative in which local, state, and federal law enforcement join forces to combat gun and gang violence. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Sanchez prosecuted the case.
According to court documents, on December 16, 2011, Paggett made an unsafe lane change and evaded a Fresno police officer attempting to make a traffic stop, accelerating to approximately 85 miles per hour. When Paggett eventually stopped the car and was arrested, a 9 mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun was found beneath the driver’s seat.
Paggett has prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and infliction of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
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