NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man with previous felony convictions today admitted illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Keyron Greene, 34, of Paterson, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 18, 2020, Paterson Police Department officers were patrolling the area of Broadway and Carroll Street when the officers observed Greene, who immediately began to flee upon observing the officers. Greene discarded a large capacity magazine containing 26 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition and a Glock 22 Generation .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun as he ran from the officers before being apprehended and arrested.
Greene has previously been convicted of felony offenses, including possession of controlled substances.
The firearms offense to which Greene pleaded guilty carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents and task force officers with the ATF, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews and members of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
This case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Paterson’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Paterson Department of Public Safety, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Passaic County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and N.J. Department of Corrections.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
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