FRESNO, Calif. — Darien Williams, 24, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 26, 2021, in Fresno, law enforcement officers tried to stop a car in which Williams was a passenger. The driver failed to yield, sped away, and crashed into another car. After the crash, Williams fled on foot. While fleeing, he discarded a loaded handgun that officers found after they caught and arrested Williams. Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony record.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Williams faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.