Thomas O. Gibson, Firearms Offenses, Ohio 2023

Thomas O. Gibson, 24, of Akron, Ohio, and four others have been indicted for firearms offenses in a federal court in Ohio. According to the indictment, Gibson had a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition on October 6, despite prior convictions for carrying concealed weapons, possession of heroin, felonious assault, and improperly discharging a firearm into a home or school.

The indictment alleges that Gibson’s possession of the firearm was unlawful due to his prior convictions. If convicted, Gibson could face a sentence determined by the court, taking into account his prior criminal record, his role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. The sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases will be less than the maximum.

Gibson is not the only one facing charges in this case. Four others have also been indicted for firearms offenses in Ohio. Gary K. Jones, 24, of Akron, Ohio, is accused of possessing a Norinco SKS KS 7.62 mm rifle and ammunition on November 17, despite a prior conviction for burglary. Bernard Jefferson, 47, of Massillon, Ohio, is accused of possessing a Smith and Wesson handgun in November, despite a prior conviction for aggravated drug trafficking.

Duane Rine, 61, of Louisville, Ohio, is accused of unlawfully transferring a Plainfield .30-caliber machinegun in 2015. Tremaine Jackson, 28, of Cleveland, Ohio, is accused of possessing a .57-caliber pistol in November 2016, despite previous convictions for drug trafficking, carrying concealed weapons, and having weapons while under disability.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly L. Galvin, Linda Barr, and Aaron Howell, following investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (Jackson case). The cases are unrelated.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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