March 11, 2021 - FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Luis Francisco Abrams, 44, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on February 23, Abrams was riding his motorcycle when officers attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. Abrams failed to yield and led officers on a pursuit, during which he drove against oncoming traffic and ran multiple red lights. Abrams eventually crashed his motorcycle and fled the scene on foot. While fleeing, Abrams threw a firearm on the roof of a nearby building. Fresno Police officers eventually caught up to him, arrested him, and recovered the loaded firearm from the roof. Abrams is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal record, which includes convictions for car theft, assault with a firearm, drug offenses, and domestic violence.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Abrams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

Source: DOJ