BOSTON – A Boston man was found guilty by a federal jury in Boston yesterday of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Rahshjeem Benson, a/k/a “Six Nine,” 38, was convicted following a six-day trial of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, 2021.
Evidence at trial established that, on April 5, 2019, Benson was arrested inside a bar in the Copley area of Boston for cocaine distribution. A Charter Arms Bulldog Pug .44 SPL caliber revolver loaded with five Smith & Wesson .44 caliber SPL cartridges was found in Benson’s sweatshirt pocket following his arrest. Due to a prior felony conviction, Benson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Fred M. Wyshak, III of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Making sure victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
Information on the Boston Marathon bombing cases