BOSTON – A New Bedford man was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on charges of illegally possessing a firearm and selling cocaine.
Khyron Thompson, 32, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 13, 2020, Thompson allegedly possessed a loaded .32 caliber Hi-Point pistol firearm. It is further alleged that Thompson sold a quantity of cocaine on that same date. Federal law prohibits Thompson from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
The charge of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel Mendell; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Gotlob of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.