Jesse Golden, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Pennsylvania 2024

PHILADELPHIA - A 30-year-old Philadelphia man has been convicted of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition following a three-day trial in federal court.

Jesse Golden, 30, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, charges brought after an investigation by the Philadelphia Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to the evidence presented at trial, in May 2019, a Philadelphia Police officer saw a video on the social media platform Instagram in which Golden was sitting in a car with another individual and brandishing a distinctive painted-black revolver.

Investigators determined that Golden had multiple prior felony convictions, so they obtained a search warrant for the defendant's residence. During the execution of that warrant, they found an unloaded revolver and 100 rounds of ammunition the same caliber as the firearm.

The revolver they found matched the look (including the paint job) of the firearm in the Instagram video. Evidence presented at trial showed that testing performed on the gun found DNA that matched the defendant's DNA.

The crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm is a serious offense, particularly in a city like Philadelphia, where gun violence is prevalent, said Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams.

'As the evidence presented at trial showed, Jesse Golden illegally possessed a gun and flagrantly displayed it, a video of which wound up on social media. Now, Golden is facing a mandatory minimum of fifteen years in prison if the Court declares him an armed career criminal, and he could face as much as life in prison.'

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Ignall.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant's name: Jesse Golden, Charges: Felon in Possession of a Firearm, City and State: Philadelphia, PA, Date: 2019, Sentence: Mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison if declared an armed career criminal, with a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Defendant Information: Jesse Golden, 30, of Philadelphia, PA.

Criminal Charges: Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

City and State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Exact Date: May 2019.

Sentence or Outcome: Mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison if declared an armed career criminal, with a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/previously-convicted-felon-philadelphia-convicted-after-trial-federal-court-illegally