Roderick Jones, Firearms Possession, New York 2024

Roderick Jones, 41, of Albany, was ordered detained on a federal complaint charging him with two instances of unlawful possession of firearms.

According to the complaint, Jones possessed a loaded .380 caliber handgun in his vehicle on January 17, 2019 while he was under arrest for impaired driving. The complaint also alleges that on September 29, 2019, Jones possessed a 9mm pistol that he discharged four times at an occupied residence. On both occasions, Jones was a felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Jones was arrested on the complaint on Wednesday and appeared for a detention hearing today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart. Following the hearing, Jones was ordered detained pending trial.

The charges against Jones carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a maximum 3-year term of supervised release. The sentence will be determined by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the Albany Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O'Hanlon.

Jones was previously convicted of unlawful possession of the .380 pistol in Albany County Court, but that conviction was overturned in July 2020 by the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division's Third Department. The court ruled that the search of Jones's vehicle, leading to the recovery of the .380 pistol, was not a valid inventory search.

At the time of his arrest on the federal complaint, Jones was facing charges in Albany County Court related to the possession and discharge of the 9mm pistol in September 2019. Those charges will be dismissed by the Albany County District Attorney's Office in light of the federal complaint.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/albany-felon-arrested-possessing-firearms