Pennsylvania nazi-obsessed felon sentenced to prison

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 32 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Dennis Alan Riggs, 51.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Colville stated that Riggs, a prohibited felon, possessed seven firearms and over 1000 rounds of ammunition, including an AR-15, a semi-automatic weapon capable of accepting a large capacity magazine.

The search of Riggs’ residence and cellular phone revealed Riggs’ obsession with Nazi ideology, Adolf Hitler and mass shooters. His cellular phone displayed photographs and videos of Riggs posing with the AR-15 wearing a Nazi Swastika shirt. The video specifically depicts Riggs cocking the illegal AR-15 and performing the Nazi “Heil Hitler salute”, which Judge Colville indicated “exceeds the bounds of mere political expression”.

Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Riggs.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.