Federal Grand Jury Indicts Pair Of New Bedford Previously Convicted Felons On Weapons Charges, Reports U.S. Attorney

9 August 2006

Two New Bedford men were charged today in federal court in separate Indictments with being previously convicted felons in possession of a total of six firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition. Both defendants were initially arrested by the New Bedford Police earlier this year in connection with today's charges. Bristol County District Attorney Paul Walsh's Office referred the cases to the U.S. Attorney's Office for prosecution under federal gun laws as part of an on-going cooperative law enforcement effort aimed at reducing firearm-related violence in the City of New Bedford.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Glenn N. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in New England; Ron Teachman, Chief of the New Bedford Police Department; and Paul Walsh, Bristol County District Attorney, announced today that SHANE ANTHONY SWANN, age 37, of 349 Belleville Avenue, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was charged in a four-count Indictment with one count of being a felon in possession of three firearms and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The Grand Jury today also charged CLARENCE ANDRADE, age 25, of 54 Russell Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts, in a one-count Indictment with unlawful possession of two firearms and ammunition by a previously convicted felon.

According to the SWANN Indictment and other documents previously filed with the Court, it is alleged that following a search of SWANN's residence on February 23, 2006, New Bedford police located a .380 caliber pistol loaded with 7 rounds of ammunition in a bedroom and 16 rounds of .9 mm ammunition in an office area. Police also found hidden inside a home theater subwoofer speaker a .38 caliber revolver loaded with three rounds of ammunition, a 9mm pistol loaded with 14 rounds, an unloaded 9mm pistol, 6 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition in a magazine, 20 loose rounds of .380 caliber ammunition, 7 loose rounds of .38 caliber ammunition, and two unloaded magazines. It is further alleged that officers also recovered amounts of crack cocaine and cocaine, over $11,000 in cash stashed throughout the residence as well as miscellaneous drug distribution paraphernalia. It is alleged that SWANN has two prior state felony convictions.

According to the ANDRADE Indictment and other documents previously filed with the Court, it is alleged that on January 22, 2006 New Bedford police officers found ANDRADE to be in possession of two HI-Point .9 mm pistols, and 19 rounds of .9mm caliber ammunition. It is further alleged that at the time ANDRADE possessed the pistols and ammunition, he had three prior state felony convictions.

Federal law prohibits individuals previously convicted of a state or federal felony from possessing firearms or ammunition.

A federal Magistrate Judge previously ordered that both SWANN and ANDRADE remain in federal custody pending trial.

If convicted, SWANN faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the felon in possession charge; a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison up to a maximum of 40 years in prison on the distribution of crack charge; a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison on the distribution of cocaine charge; and a mandatory minimum 5 year term of imprisonment which must be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. ANDRADE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to life if the Court determines that he qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal.

A New Bedford Firearms Task Force was formed in June 2003, under the auspices of Project Safe Neighborhoods ("PSN") to address firearm violence in the city, and includes representatives from the ATF, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, and the New Bedford Police Department. PSN is President Bush's comprehensive initiative to combat gun crime in America by providing locally-based programs with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Since its inception the Task Force has worked to identify sources for firearms in the New Bedford area, develop investigative strategies to remove the guns from the streets, and build criminal cases against those responsible for possessing and distributing them.

The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in New England and officers with the New Bedford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Mitchell and Mary Elizabeth Carmody in Sullivan's Criminal Division are prosecuting the SWANN and ANDRADE cases respectively.

The details contained in the Indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: prnewswire

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