Harrisburg Man Receives Over 19-Year Sentence for Firearm Possession and Supervised Release Violation

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Darin Blackburn, a 43-year-old Harrisburg resident, has been sentenced to a total of 231 months in federal prison. The sentence, imposed by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary, encompasses charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and violating the terms of his supervised release. This significant sentence highlights the legal consequences for individuals with prior felony convictions who are found in possession of firearms.

The events leading to Blackburn’s sentencing began on November 17, 2021, when Harrisburg Police Officers approached him while he was seated in a vehicle. Officers observed a small bag of marijuana in plain view inside the car. A K-9 unit was called to the scene, and as the dog began to conduct a sniff search of the vehicle, Blackburn fled. He was apprehended by officers a short distance away. Following Blackburn’s arrest, the owner of the vehicle arrived. After denying ownership of any items within the car, the owner granted police permission to search the automobile. During the search, authorities discovered a Hermann Weihrauch Arminus .38 caliber revolver, which contained six rounds of ammunition. Additionally, thirteen loose rounds were found in a bag in the trunk of the car. Blackburn’s criminal history includes a prior conviction for armed bank robbery and two serious drug offenses, all committed on separate occasions. These prior convictions legally prohibit him from possessing a firearm, and his case carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years under the Armed Career Criminal Act. At the time of his arrest for the firearm offense, Blackburn was also serving a federal supervised release term stemming from two armed bank robberies committed in 2001. This earlier sentence included 211 months of imprisonment followed by a three-year period of supervised release, which began in July 2021. The additional 51 months of imprisonment were specifically imposed for violating the supervised release requirement that he refrain from committing further crimes. This prosecution is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a national initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating violent crime and illegal immigration. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

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