Sierra Benninger, Providing False Statements to Purchase a Firearm, Pennsylvania 2021

A 26-year-old woman from Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to time served for providing false statements to purchase a firearm, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Sierra Benninger, of Mountaintop, was sentenced on June 29, 2021, to time served of 8 ½ months by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani. This means that Benninger will not serve any additional time in prison beyond the time she has already served.

The charges against Benninger stem from her attempt to purchase a Taurus 9mm handgun in 2021. However, Benninger was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to her history of using and being addicted to a controlled substance.

Benninger pleaded guilty to the charges and admitted to providing false statements to purchase the handgun. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer. According to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, turning the tide of rising violent crime in America is a top priority.

Benninger’s sentence brings an end to the case, which was brought to light as part of a renewed effort to address rising violent crime. The PSN program has been successful in bringing together law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer.

The exact details of Benninger’s sentence are as follows: she was sentenced to time served of 8 ½ months, with no additional prison time to be served. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuting the case.

Benninger’s case is just one example of the work being done to address rising violent crime. The PSN program has been successful in bringing together law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/mountaintop-woman-sentenced-firearm-offense