Harshpreet Singh, a 25-year-old Indian national residing illegally in the United States, pleaded guilty on Mar. 26 to possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully present in the country, according to U.S. Attorney David Metcalf. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Catherine Henry.
Singh was charged by indictment in October of last year. The case centers around an incident on August 28, 2024, when law enforcement responded to a reported home invasion and shooting at a residence in Bethel, Pennsylvania. At the same time, Berks County police dispatch received information about a gunshot victim at a nearby gas station less than half a mile from the residence.
Officers found another individual identified as A.S., who is charged elsewhere, with a gunshot wound inside a vehicle at the gas pumps. Singh and another co-defendant were also present in the vehicle. After transporting A.S. for medical treatment, police canvassed the area and recovered two firearms—a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with twelve rounds and an unmarked privately manufactured firearm loaded with seventeen rounds—across from the gas station.
A third weapon, identified as a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with thirteen rounds of ammunition, was discovered at the yard of the home where the invasion had been reported. Forensic analysis revealed that DNA found on all three firearms matched profiles from four contributors; Singh’s DNA was included among these contributors.
Sentencing for Singh is scheduled for July 9. He faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000 if convicted on all counts.
The prosecution said this case falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative using Department of Justice resources aimed at combating illegal immigration and eliminating transnational criminal organizations.
