A Buffalo man, William Morrison, Jr., 27, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo and handed down by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, the incident occurred late on July 19, 2024, when Buffalo Police responded to reports of a man with a gun near Ashley and Mohr Streets. The caller described the suspect as wearing an ankle bracelet and waving a black pistol before entering an Ashley Street residence referred to as a “dope house.” When officers arrived at the scene, they saw Morrison running from the rear of the residence and apprehended him shortly after.
A search of the area led police to recover a loaded 9mm handgun in the yard where Morrison had fled. Morrison had previously been convicted on a felony gun charge in Erie County Court in November 2019, which legally barred him from possessing firearms.
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo stated: “The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Interim Commissioner Craig Macy, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo.”
