Juan A. Torres, Unlawful Firearm and Ammunition Possession, New York 2018

Albany, New York — A convicted felon admitted in federal court today to illegally possessing and selling a loaded handgun, reigniting concerns over gun trafficking in the Capital Region. Juan A. Torres, 36, of Albany, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, a charge that carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence.

Torres confessed that on July 13, 2018, he sold a Kel-Tec 9 millimeter pistol — loaded with four rounds of Luger ammunition — in Schenectady County. At the time of the transaction, Torres had two prior felony convictions, legally barring him from owning or transferring firearms under federal law.

The case was announced by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albany Field Office. The sale was uncovered through an investigation led by the FBI and its Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which has been targeting violent offenders and illegal gun networks.

Torres is currently in custody awaiting sentencing, set for September 17, 2019, before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. In addition to up to a decade behind bars, Torres faces as many as three years of supervised release following any prison term.

Federal sentencing guidelines will weigh the nature of the offense, Torres’s criminal history, and other judicial factors. Possession of a firearm by a felon is a serious federal offense, especially when the weapon is loaded and actively distributed.

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett. Authorities stress that illegal gun possession by felons remains a top enforcement priority in disrupting violent crime across New York’s Capital District.

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