Angelo Goldston, Armed Career Criminal, Tennessee 2017

Angelo Goldston, a 37-year-old man from Cleveland, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for his role in an armed career criminal case. The sentencing took place on May 3, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Goldston was convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm, specifically a sawed-off shotgun, after a January 2017 jury trial. His sentence was enhanced based on his seven prior convictions for serious drug offenses. He was sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA).

According to eyewitnesses who testified at his trial, Goldston displayed the sawed-off shotgun during a heated exchange with an unarmed man as children stood by and watched. The altercation took place in the middle of the day in a residential neighborhood in Cleveland.

‘Goldston’s sentence reflects the danger and risk of harm his conduct posed to society,’ said U.S. Attorney Nancy Stallard Harr. ‘The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals previously recognized that sawed-off shotguns, by their very nature, are extremely dangerous and serve virtually no purpose other than furtherance of illegal activity. That danger is heightened when career criminals, such as Goldston, possess these types of weapons.’

The investigation into Goldston’s activities was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the 10th Judicial District Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, and the Cleveland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Porter and Kyle J. Wilson represented the United States at trial.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences.

Upon his release from prison, Goldston will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. The sentencing is a significant blow to Goldston, who will now face the consequences of his actions. The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of armed career criminals and the importance of community partnerships in enforcing gun laws.

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