Jean Green-Alvarez, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, New York 2021

A Rochester man has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Jean Green-Alvarez, 34, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to the charge, which stems from an incident on January 15, 2020, at approximately 12:14 a.m.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie M. Kocher, who is handling the case, Green-Alvarez approached an individual and forcibly stole a backpack while in possession of a loaded semiautomatic rifle. He then fled to 108 Emerson Street in Rochester and handed the weapon and proceeds from the robbery to an individual inside the home.

The weapon was recovered by law enforcement officers in the basement of 108 Emerson Street. In September 2009, Green-Alvarez was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine in the District of Puerto Rico, making him legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; and the United States Probation Office, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Timothy C. Englerth.

The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 7, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.

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