Butler Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 84 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Thomas James Clark, 33.

According to information presented to the Court, on January 20, 2024, law enforcement apprehended Clark on an outstanding arrest warrant relating to aggravated assault charges. Upon encountering law enforcement, Clark dropped the belongings in his possession, which included an AR-15-style rifle with no serial number, a revolver, and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Clark was previously convicted in the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County, Pennsylvania, of methamphetamine production and criminal conspiracy. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police's Butler Patrol and Fugitive Apprehension Unit, and the Butler City Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Clark.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.