Pittsburgh Felon Andre Charles Hall, 20, Indicted on Firearm Charge

Pittsburgh streets are no stranger to gun violence, and federal prosecutors are moving fast to clamp down on repeat offenders. Andre Charles Hall, 20, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song.

The one-count indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, alleges that on or about October 5, 2016, Hall—already a convicted felon—was found in possession of a firearm. Federal law strictly prohibits individuals with felony convictions from owning or carrying firearms, a rule Hall now stands accused of violating.

If convicted, Hall faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or both. The actual sentence, however, will be determined under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which weigh the severity of the offense and the defendant’s criminal past. At this time, court records do not detail the nature of Hall’s prior conviction.

Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin A. Loughran is leading the prosecution in the case, representing the federal government’s push to remove illegal guns from high-risk individuals. The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative that pools federal, state, and local law enforcement resources to combat gun crime through enhanced prosecution and community outreach.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Details surrounding the recovery of the firearm or the circumstances of Hall’s apprehension have not yet been released, but sources confirm the weapon was seized during a targeted enforcement action.

An indictment is not a conviction. Andre Charles Hall is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. His arraignment and trial dates are pending, and the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh will be the next battleground in the city’s ongoing war against illegal gun possession.