A Fitchburg man with multiple prior convictions was sentenced to a three-year prison term after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. Satron Pridgen, 45, faced sentencing in federal court in Worcester, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office yesterday. Following his prison term, Pridgen is also mandated to serve three years of supervised release.
Pridgen's legal troubles stem from an incident outside Mill City Pub in the early morning hours of September 16, 2023. An altercation broke out, during which Pridgen attacked a third man from behind, using a chokehold and subsequently striking him with a loaded pistol. Attempting to flee and dispose of the weapon, Pridgen was ultimately apprehended by law enforcement after running off by a dumpster. His series of past convictions, ranging from assault with dangerous weapons to drug distribution, bar him from firearm and ammunition possession, the U.S. Attorney's Office noted.
U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman determined Pridgen's sentence, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto handled the prosecution. In a collaborative law enforcement effort, Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, along with ATF Special Agent in Charge James M. Ferguson and Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest F. Martineau, coordinated the announcement of the sentencing.
This case is notably a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to unite law enforcement at all levels with communities to reduce gun violence and crime to make neighbourhoods safer. "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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," the U.S. Attorney's Office stated. PSN's updated strategy was launched in May 2021, focusing on trust-building in communities, preventing violence at its roots, strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes effectively.
