Delco Felon Guilty Of Possessing, Firing Gun Near School: Feds

DARBY, PA – A 36-year-old Delaware County man who is a convicted felon was found guilty of two gun crimes recently, according to federal authorities.

U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain said Tuesday that Kareem Murphy, 36, of Darby, was found guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a firearm in a school zone.

Murphy, a convicted felon already, was arrested on Feb. 18, authorities said.

The Philadelphia Police Department responded to a house in Philadelphia after an officer heard the sound of a gunshot, according to authorities.

As police were arriving on the scene, the Murphy fired another gunshot through the door of the house before fleeing the scene, authorities said.

Officers then arrested Murphy in a nearby alley, according to authorities.

Murphy fired the gun within 1,000 feet of the Delaplaine McDaniel Elementary School, according to authorities.

His previous felony conviction means he was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm, authorities said.

"The defendant fired a gun into a house and endangered everyone in the vicinity, even though he should never have had a gun in the first place because of his felony conviction," McSwain said. "Making matters worse, his crimes occurred near an elementary school, where any one of the neighborhood’s young students could have been struck. We are very lucky that no one was injured, and I am thankful that the jury held the defendant accountable for his actions."

"ATF’s top priority is combating violent crime; one of the ways we accomplish that mission is by keeping firearms out of the hands of violent offenders," said Donald Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Philadelphia Field Division. "This conviction is a perfect example of the collaborative effort between ATF, the United States Attorney’s Office and the Philadelphia Police Department in targeting violent offenders and protecting our communities."

"The Project Safe Neighborhoods program is of tremendous benefit to local law enforcement here in Philadelphia,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross. “The arrest of Kareem Murphy, and the PSN collaborations that resulted in a successful prosecution, illustrate the tangible impact that strong collective effort among law enforcement agencies can have on promoting safety and enhancing quality of life in the communities we serve."

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Rue.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.

In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

Image via Shutterstock