PITTSBURGH, PA — A former resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania, has been charged in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for possession of a machine gun in furtherance of drug trafficking and other offenses. The announcement was made on Friday, December 1, 2023.
Erik Addison, 27, is the sole defendant named in the three-count Superseding Indictment. According to the indictment, on May 8, 2023, Addison possessed with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and heroin, had a machine gun in connection with that drug trafficking crime, and also had a Glock pistol equipped with a so-called “Glock Switch,” designed to convert a semi-automatic Glock-style handgun into a fully automatic firearm.
The most serious offense, possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, a maximum possible life sentence, and a maximum possible fine of $250,000, or both. The actual sentence under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines will depend on the severity of the offenses and any prior criminal history of the defendant.
At the time of the new alleged offenses, Addison was serving a term of supervised release for a previous federal firearm offense in 2021. Consequently, he faces separate federal court proceedings to revoke his supervised release. Court records indicate that Addison allegedly evaded a traffic stop on May 8, 2023, hitting multiple law enforcement vehicles and fleeing across the Homestead Grays Bridge at high speed. His vehicle was later found heavily damaged and abandoned. Addison was apprehended following a foot chase during which multiple shots were allegedly fired. He was found in possession of the firearm that is the subject of the new federal charges in the Superseding Indictment.
In addition to the federal charges and alleged supervised release violations, Addison also faces charges in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, including aggravated assault and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer resulting from his alleged conduct on May 8, 2023.
United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan stated that “Glock switches turn handguns into machine guns,” and asserted that Addison allegedly possessed such a weapon while dealing fentanyl and heroin, creating a deadly combination. He pledged continued efforts to pursue violent offenders to protect the community.
Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Allegheny County Police Department.
A superseding indictment is an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Violations of the conditions of supervised release must be proven by the government by a preponderance of the evidence.
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