A man from the Mt. Oliver area of Pittsburgh has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to an announcement by First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
Kyreese Thomas, 24, pleaded guilty on October 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to one count of violating federal firearms law. According to information presented in court, Thomas and another individual fired a gun at a residence in the Homestead neighborhood of Pittsburgh on May 23, 2024. Thomas used a stolen 9mm Ruger pistol with its serial number removed during the incident and attempted to flee with his co-defendant by car.
Law enforcement stopped the vehicle and found Thomas in the front passenger seat with the firearm under his seat. Gunshot residue was detected on his hand, and ballistic testing confirmed that the weapon matched shell casings recovered at the scene. At the time of this offense, Thomas had two prior convictions for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person in Allegheny County and was on parole for one of those convictions. He also had a previous conviction related to possession of contraband while incarcerated.
Judge Bissoon allowed sentencing to proceed immediately after Thomas entered his guilty plea. Before imposing sentence, she commented on Thomas’s significant criminal history given his age.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara K. Doolittle.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti acknowledged the investigative efforts of several agencies: “I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Munhall and Homestead police departments; and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department for their work leading to this successful prosecution.”
