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Lockport Man Charged with Gun Possession
A 24-year-old man from Lockport, New York, has been charged with a federal gun crime. Philip A. Ruiz faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 after being indicted on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury, stems from a search warrant executed on a vehicle in Lockport on September 3, 2014. During the search, police found a 12 gauge Mossberg pump action shotgun, which is a prohibited firearm for someone with Ruiz’s criminal history.
Ruiz was on probation at the time for a 2010 conviction for Attempted Burglary in the third degree, making it illegal for him to possess firearms. The vehicle, belonging to Ruiz’s girlfriend, was parked at his residence when the search warrant was executed.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten. Baumgarten stated that the indictment is the culmination of an investigation involving the City of Tonawanda Police Department, the Lockport Police Department, the New York State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ruiz was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and pleaded not guilty. He is being held without bail until December 16, 2014.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and Ruiz is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The investigation into Ruiz’s alleged crimes is a prime example of law enforcement agencies working together to keep communities safe.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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