Prior Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Tyree D. Washington, 40, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on November 26, 2022, New York State Police Troopers on patrol in Rochester attempted to stop Washington, who was operating a black BMW, for traffic violations, but Washington refused to stop. A vehicle pursuit ensued over several city streets and ended when Washington failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into the front porch of a residence on South Plymouth Avenue in Rochester. After Washington was taken into custody, officers located two loaded pistols in the vehicle. In October 2009, Washington was convicted of a felony in Monroe County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
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 plea is the result of an investigation by New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian Ratajczak and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge David G. Larimer.
