GBK Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Law Violation

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months' imprisonment on his conviction of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Jaimon Woods, age 30, of 115 South Birmingham Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA.

According to information presented to the court, in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting the Greenway Boys Killas (GBK) street gang and drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh. During the investigation, on December 7, 2017, Jaimon Woods was observed driving a gold BMW, with expired inspection and emissions stickers and windows tinted in excess of code, on Ohio River Boulevard in Avalon Borough, PA. An Avalon Borough police officer conducted a traffic stop, but Woods and the passenger of the vehicle both fled. The officer chased Woods and was able to apprehend him. The officer searched Woods' gold BMW and recovered two firearms, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, and a Smith and Wesson 44 magnum revolver. Both guns were loaded and had been stolen. Woods's fingerprint was found on the revolver. Because Woods had previously been convicted of felony offenses, he was prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition.

Prior to imposing sentence, Senior Judge Schwab stated that the sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Yvonne Saadi prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the Avalon Borough Police Department in conducting the traffic stop which led to the arrest of Woods and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration, joint leaders of the multi-agency wiretap investigation, which also included the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Robinson Township Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, and the McKees Rocks Police Department, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jaimon Woods.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.