A San Joaquin County man, identified as Aaron Michael Correia, 38, has been handed a five-year prison sentence for the crime of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to a release from the Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. The sentencing follows a traffic stop incident where Correia was discovered with a loaded .22 Ruger revolver and a matching box of ammunition, possessions he is legally barred from due to his criminal record that includes multiple state felony convictions.
Reports indicate that Correia's criminal history within San Joaquin County includes similar offenses, with convictions dating back to 2017 and as recent as 2021 for being a felon in possession of firearm. The arrest was a collaborative effort involving local law enforcement—Manteca Police Department and the Stockton Police Department—working in tandem with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case against Correia, as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California.
The case against Correia is a part of the wider initiative known as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which represents a concerted effort to stem the tide of violent crime and reduce gun violence. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy intended to strengthen PSN's impact.
