Georgia Felon Hubbard Admits to Packing Heat in Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Eric Hubbard, 34, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, has confessed to illegally carrying a loaded 9mm handgun on the streets of Buffalo. The plea, entered before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny, admits Hubbard knowingly violated federal law as a convicted felon.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, the bust went down June 19, 2014, on Genesee Street. Buffalo Police officers spotted Hubbard and asked for identification. When he refused, a routine pat-down turned up the 9mm semi-automatic and 13 rounds of ammunition. Hubbard, caught red-handed, claimed the weapon belonged to his “girl” and that he was armed for self-protection – a flimsy excuse that won’t hold up in court.

Hubbard’s criminal history is the key to this case. Prior convictions in Michigan – a 2002 breaking and entering, and a 2003 attempt to break and enter coupled with assaulting a police officer – permanently stripped him of the right to possess a firearm. He knew it, and he rolled the dice anyway.

The investigation, a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), led by Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, and the Buffalo Police Department under Commissioner Daniel Derenda, built a solid case against Hubbard. These agencies aren’t messing around with gun-toting felons hitting the streets.

Hubbard is looking at a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a hefty $250,000 fine. He’ll have plenty of time to consider his choices while behind bars. Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny. Expect a stern rebuke from the bench.

This case serves as a stark reminder that federal firearms laws are strictly enforced, especially when it comes to repeat offenders. Bringing an illegal weapon into a city already grappling with violence will land you exactly where Hubbard is now: facing the consequences.