Elijah Javier Rodriguez, 27, and Javier Justin Rodriguez, 31, both from New York, were sentenced on April 9 and April 16 by United States District Judge Joseph F. Saporito for unlawfully possessing firearms as convicted felons, according to an announcement from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on Apr. 17.
The case highlights ongoing efforts to enforce federal gun laws and promote community safety. Elijah Javier Rodriguez received a sentence of 33 months in prison while Javier Justin Rodriguez was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the two brothers traveled from Bronx, New York to Dingman’s Shooting Range in Dingman’s Ferry, Pennsylvania on June 29, 2024. At the range, they falsely declared that they had never been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison before proceeding to possess and shoot six different firearms including an AK-47. Court records show that Javier Justin Rodriguez had previously been convicted of criminal possession of a weapon while Elijah Javier Rodriguez had prior felony convictions including criminal possession of stolen property, identity theft and grand larceny.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the New York City Police Department investigated this case with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd.
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania promotes community safety through initiatives such as Project Safe Neighborhoods and re-entry services aimed at reducing recidivism according to its official website. The office serves about 3.2 million residents across a region covering approximately 21,907 square miles in central Pennsylvania according to its official website. Facilities are maintained in locations including Harrisburg, Scranton, Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre according to its official website.
Operating under the United States Department of Justice according to its official website, the U.S. Attorney’s Office handles prosecutions for federal crimes as well as civil litigation involving government interests while providing victim assistance programs according to its official website.
