Aquadre Quailes, a 28-year-old resident of Harrisburg, was sentenced on Apr. 22 to ten years in prison for possessing multiple firearms as a convicted felon, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson and includes a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address gun-related offenses involving previously convicted individuals. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Quailes had absconded from state parole in December 2020 and was later found in March 2021 at a Harrisburg residence with two loaded handguns—one equipped with an extended magazine—as well as loose ammunition and crack cocaine. Quailes had prior felony convictions related to drug trafficking.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Harrisburg City Police Department investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli.
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania operates under the United States Department of Justice according to its official website. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes and managing civil litigation on behalf of the government while providing victim assistance programs according to its official website.
Serving approximately 3.2 million residents across a jurisdiction that covers 33 counties and spans over 21,900 square miles—including facilities in Harrisburg, Scranton, Williamsport, and Wilkes-Barre—the office promotes community safety through initiatives such as Project Safe Neighborhoods and re-entry services designed to reduce recidivism according to its official website.
Looking ahead, officials say they will continue focusing on prosecutions that support rehabilitation efforts while maintaining public safety throughout central Pennsylvania.
