Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing Firearm and Ammunition
Defendant Allegedly Attempted to Enter Casino With a Firearm
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Tarik Muhammad, 29, of Boston, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Muhammad was previously charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 10, 2023.
According to the charging documents, on the evening of Feb. 4, 2023, Muhammad was denied entry to the Encore Casino in Everett when security detected that he was carrying a firearm. Encore security alerted local law enforcement, but Muhammad left before they arrived. It is alleged that security cameras at the casino show Muhammad leaving in a blue Toyota Rav 4. The following day, a notice was dispatched to local law enforcement about the incident and with photos of Muhammad, the vehicle and license plate captured on casino security cameras.
On Feb. 6, 2023, law enforcement spotted Muhammad driving the Rav 4 in Roxbury and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. It is alleged that Muhammad fled, leading to a high-speed chase that ended when Muhammad crashed into an occupied, parked vehicle. Muhammad allegedly tried to flee on-foot but was apprehended. It is alleged that a loaded semi-automatic pistol was found in Muhammad’s waistband.
Muhammad is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to several felony convictions including a June 2022 conviction in U.S. District Court in Boston of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Muhammad was on federal supervised release at the time of the alleged offenses announced today.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
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 Department 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.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
