The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Nov. 6 that two brothers from The Bronx, Elijah Javier Rodriguez, 26, and Javier Justin Rodriguez, 29, were indicted by a grand jury on Nov. 5 on charges of illegal gun possession.

 

According to the New York court system, as the jury of inquiry, a grand jury hears the evidence against a defendant presented by the prosecutor and decides if the evidence presented is sufficient for an indictment.

 

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that both brothers knowingly possessed guns as prohibited persons who had been convicted of a felony offense on June 29 in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Federal officials said the case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, and that Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd was prosecuting the case.

 

They said the case was 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 neighborhoods safer for everyone.

 

They said that on May 26, 2021, the departments launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on the following 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.

 

They said the maximum penalty under federal law for the offense is 15 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the federal sentencing guidelines.

 

The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court of law.