Felon Convicted of State Carjacking and Sexual Assault Offenses Indicted on Federal Firearms Charges
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Aasim Harps-Busbee, 22, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Indictment with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. The charges stem from a series of documented posts on social media and an incident during which the defendant was found in possession of ammunition.
According to the Indictment and other court documents filed in this case, on May 25, 2022, the defendant was convicted of state charges of carjacking and statutory sexual assault, in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. Both offenses are felonies and punishable by more than one year in jail, thus rendering the defendant ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition under federal law.
Between July 6 and July 11, 2022, Harps-Busbee allegedly posted pictures to social media accounts that included a firearm and an offer to sell a firearm to any willing buyer for a specified price. When PPD and ATF initially located the defendant on July 11, 2022, he was not in possession of a firearm; however, he was in possession of six rounds of ammunition. Harps-Busbee later admitted to investigators that he possessed the firearm that he posted pictures of on social media. The defendant was arrested on July 19, 2022, and was detained pending trial.
“Being a felon in possession of a firearm, ammunition, or both are all serious offenses, particularly in a city like Philadelphia where violent crime and gun violence are significant problems,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office is determined to continue doing everything we can to reduce gun violence in our city by investigating and arresting criminals like Harps-Busbee so they remain off the streets for a long time.”
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
