A man from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 76 months in federal prison for possessing and using a firearm while on supervised release. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Thomas Thornton, 49, received the sentence from United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. After serving his prison term, he will be subject to 46 months of supervised release.
Court records show that on December 19, 2024, Thornton fired ten rounds from a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol into an occupied home in Pittsburgh. Police detained him within minutes of the shooting and recovered the firearm after searching his vehicle. At the time of this offense, Thornton was under federal supervision following a previous conviction for drug trafficking and firearms offenses that resulted in a 37-month prison sentence. Federal law bars convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson led the prosecution.
United States Attorney Rivetti praised the work of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in investigating and prosecuting Thornton’s case.
“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,” said Rivetti. “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.”
