A 34-year-old Norristown man who was legally barred from owning firearms because of a prior robbery conviction is headed to state prison for four to 10 years after pleading guilty to two felony counts of illegally possessing a gun. Steven Thomas Boone Jr., listed with addresses on the 700 block of Sandy Street and the 800 block of DeKalb Street, was sentenced by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Risa Vetri Ferman following incidents that unfolded in Norristown between October 2023 and July 2024.
The case, first reported by The Mercury, traces back to October 17, 2023, when Norristown detectives allege surveillance video captured Boone holding a semiautomatic handgun on the 800 block of DeKalb Street before handing it off to another man who fled with the weapon. Under Pennsylvania law, a prior conviction for a violent crime such as robbery bars a person from possessing a firearm, according to Ratliff Jackson LLP, which is why that alleged handoff alone was enough to trigger a felony charge.
Investigators didn't catch up with Boone again until months later. County detectives and FBI agents identified him as a suspect in a narcotics investigation in May 2024, and the case escalated on July 3, 2024, when county detectives, FBI agents and Norristown police arrived at his Sandy Street apartment. The report notes that officers announced their presence and, after waiting a reasonable amount of time, forced entry and detained Boone in the master bedroom.
Handgun, Cash and Crack Cocaine Found in Bedroom
Inside that bedroom, investigators say they found a loaded 9mm Makarov handgun carrying eight rounds, numerous packets of suspected crack cocaine, $2,010 in cash, and packaging materials. Norristown detectives alleged the firearm was located in the immediate area where Boone was detained. Federal law separately makes it a crime for anyone convicted of an offense punishable by more than a year in prison to possess a firearm, carrying penalties of up to 15 years, per the same Ratliff Jackson LLP analysis — a reminder of why FBI agents were involved alongside local and county investigators.
Boone ultimately pleaded guilty to two felony counts of person not to possess firearms. Other charges filed against him, including possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, and carrying a firearm without a license, were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Assistant District Attorney Libby Ann Hemler prosecuted the case for Montgomery County, while defense attorney Geoffrey David Hood represented Boone during the proceedings.
Sentencing and Forfeiture Order
Judge Ferman sentenced Boone to four to 10 years in a state correctional facility and ordered that the guns seized during the narcotics investigation be forfeited to the District Attorney's Office for destruction. The report does not identify the legal authority for the destruction order. Boone will receive credit for 215 days already served in jail while his case awaited court action.
A second-degree felony conviction under Pennsylvania's Uniform Firearms Act carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000 per count, according to the Skinner Law Firm, meaning Boone's sentence falls within the range judges are permitted to impose for each count. Judge Ferman, who presided over the case, was a former Montgomery County district attorney before being sworn in as a Common Pleas judge in January 2016.
Part of a Broader Crackdown on Illegal Guns
Boone's prosecution fits into a wider push by Montgomery County law enforcement against illegal firearm possession. In early 2023, Montgomery County received more than $3.3 million through Operation Cease Fire, which began that year. The following year, regional investigators gained access to a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network machine that lets detectives match seized firearms to prior shootings within 48 hours across Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties.
Norristown, the county seat where the offenses occurred, had a population of 35,748 as of the 2020 U.S. Census and sits about 15 miles northwest of Philadelphia along the Schuylkill River, per the Borough of Norristown. Norristown police worked alongside county detectives and FBI agents throughout the investigation into Boone. Montgomery County's broader population has grown to an estimated 880,126 residents, making it the third-most populous county in Pennsylvania and putting significant strain on law enforcement and judicial dockets covering 62 separate boroughs and townships.
Boone's prosecution involved a person barred from owning firearms because of a past conviction.
