UTICA, N.Y. - On Friday evening, a jury voted to convict Charles Harrison, 34, of Binghamton, New York, of being a felon in possession of a firearm, following a 4-day trial in Utica.
U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman and U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of New York David L. McNulty made the announcement.
The trial evidence demonstrated that, following his 2012 conviction in the Northern District of New York for conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances, Harrison was serving the final portion of his term of imprisonment at a halfway house in Connecticut. Harrison absconded from the halfway house, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest for escaping the custody of the Attorney General. On March 29, 2022, the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force found Harrison hiding under a mattress in an apartment in Binghamton. The U.S. Marshals also located a loaded gun in the bedroom next to where Harrison was hiding. Forensic and testimonial evidence presented at trial linked Harrison to the gun that was in the apartment, and the jury voted to convict him of possessing the gun as a prohibited person (previously convicted felon).
At sentencing scheduled for Dec. 20 before U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd, Harrison faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York State Police, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office and the Binghamton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone and Thomas R. Sutcliffe.