PITTSBURGH, PA – Roderick Ferguson, 22, of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, is headed back to federal prison after receiving a 36-month sentence for illegally possessing firearms while already on supervised release. The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna, highlights a pattern of disregard for the law, according to the judge.
The trouble began on April 3, 2022, when Ferguson was ejected from a vehicle during a violent crash in Baldwin. Witnesses pulled him from the wreckage, and police quickly discovered a loaded semiautomatic rifle – containing 29 rounds of ammunition – had been in his possession just before the impact. The driver of the vehicle did not survive the crash.
Less than a month later, on April 28, 2022, Whitehall Borough Police pulled over a vehicle with an expired registration. Ferguson, providing a false name, was a passenger. As officers instructed him to exit, they noticed suspicious movements, and a search revealed a loaded .357 Magnum revolver concealed in his underwear. This wasn’t his first brush with the law.
Ferguson was already serving a term of federal supervised release stemming from a 2021 conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Judge William S. Stickman IV had initially sentenced him to 15 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. The latest gun charges were leveled while he was still under court supervision.
“Ferguson’s possession of loaded firearms within days of his release from his last federal sentence reflected a troubling willingness to disrespect the law,” Judge Stickman stated during sentencing. Federal law clearly prohibits convicted felons from owning firearms or ammunition, and violations committed while on supervised release carry additional penalties.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with the Baldwin Police Department and Whitehall Borough Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to Ferguson’s conviction. U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan commended the agencies for their work in keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals. The case serves as a stark reminder that those with prior convictions who choose to re-offend will face the full force of federal law.
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