Bakersfield Man Sentenced to Almost Four Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Firearm

FRESNO, Calif. - Katterin McCray, 25, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 15, 2022, police officers in Bakersfield attempted to stop a vehicle in which McCray was the passenger for traffic infractions. The vehicle sped off and McCray discarded from the vehicle a Glock, Model 22, 40 caliber handgun with a high-capacity magazine and ammunition near the intersection of Cottonwood Road and Casa Loma Drive in Bakersfield. Because of his criminal record, including a 2017 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and a 2018 conviction for receiving known stolen property, McCray may not lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz prosecuted the case.

This case is 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 our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these 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.