A Buffalo man previously convicted on a gun charge is facing up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm.
William Morrison Jr., 26, admitted in federal court Friday that he was in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun during an incident last summer — despite being banned from owning firearms due to a prior felony.
According to prosecutors, on July 19, 2024, Buffalo Police responded to reports of a man waving a gun near Ashley and Mohr Streets. The caller said the man, later identified as Morrison, was wearing an ankle monitor and had gone into what was described as a “dope house” on Ashley Street.
When officers arrived, they saw Morrison running from the back of the house. He was quickly apprehended, and police later found a loaded handgun in the yard where he had fled.
Morrison has a 2019 felony gun conviction in Erie County Court, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm under federal law.
Morrison entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. He now faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for December 5, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Buffalo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
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