District of New Jersey

www.justice.gov/usao/cae

For Immediate Release

April 27, 2012

Paul J. Fishman, United States Attorney

Contact: Rebekah Carmichael, Office of Public Affairs
(973) 645-2888
rebekah.carmichael@usdoj.gov

Camden, N.J., Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Semiautomatic Pistol

CAMDEN, N.J. — A Camden man with prior felony convictions was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a semiautomatic pistol with a high capacity magazine, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Elijah Burks, 29, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to an Information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: On July 10, 2010, Burks knowingly possessed a 9mm Springfield Armory model XD–9 Sub–Compact Luger pistol, with a 16–round, high–capacity magazine, at a McDonald’s restaurant in Camden. Burks was found with the pistol during an arrest on unrelated weapons charges. Burks had previous felony convictions at the time.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Burks to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Horace, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Camden Police Department, the N.J. State Police and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Warren W. Faulk, for their important roles in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

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