A 47-year-old Auburn man is facing a 15-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Jason P. Benedict, 47, of Auburn, New York, admitted to possessing a 20-gauge shotgun as a convicted felon in federal court in Syracuse, officials announced today.
Benedict’s guilty plea follows an investigation by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which resulted in the seizure of the shotgun, as well as drugs, cash, and drug paraphernalia from a Syracuse residence in June 2023.
According to court documents, Benedict delivered the shotgun to another person on January 21, 2023, and was aware of his previous conviction in 2011 for Criminal Sex Act in the Second Degree, a felony.
The case against Benedict is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick, with the ATF and DEA continuing to investigate.
Benedict is set to be sentenced on August 23, 2024, and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-incarceration supervised release of up to 3 years.
A separate individual, who is also charged with federal firearms and drug felony offenses, is currently pending in federal court and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation into this case is ongoing, and officials are urging anyone with information to come forward.
As part of his plea agreement, Benedict acknowledged that he knowingly possessed the firearm as a convicted felon and transferred it to another individual.
This case highlights the importance of taking firearms off the streets and holding accountable those who attempt to possess them as convicted felons.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York is committed to disrupting and dismantling the networks that enable crime, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to achieve this goal.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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