Williams v. Barr

379 F. Supp. 3d 360
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedApril 1, 2019
DocketCIVIL ACTION No. 17-2641
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 379 F. Supp. 3d 360 (Williams v. Barr) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Williams v. Barr, 379 F. Supp. 3d 360 (E.D. Pa. 2019).

Opinion

ROBERT F. KELLY, Sr., District Judge

Federal law generally prohibits the possession of firearms by individuals who have been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. See 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). There is an exception from this prohibition for individuals who have been convicted of a state law misdemeanor that is punishable by a term of imprisonment of two years or fewer, 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(20)(B), or those whose conviction has been expunged, set aside, or for which the individual has been pardoned, id. § 921(a)(20).

In 2005, Plaintiff Edward A. Williams ("Williams") was convicted in Pennsylvania of driving under the influence ("DUI") at the highest rate of intoxication with a prior offense, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to five years. He brings this action against Defendants William P. Barr (Attorney General of the United States), Thomas E. Brandon (Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), Christopher A. Wray (Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation), and the United States of America (collectively, the "Government"), contending that § 922(g)(1) is unconstitutional as applied to him.1 Presently before *365the Court are the parties' Motions for Summary Judgment, along with numerous responses and replies to the respective motions. For the reasons that follow, Williams' Motion for Summary Judgment is denied, and the Government's Motion for Summary Judgment is granted.

I. BACKGROUND

In April 2000, Williams was in State College, Pennsylvania, where he was pulled over, arrested, and charged with DUI based on his blood alcohol content ("BAC") being over .10%.2 (Pl.'s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ("Pl.'s SUMF") in Supp. Mot. Summ. J. ¶¶ 1, 3; Gov't's Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ("Gov't's SUMF") in Supp. Mot. Summ. J. ¶¶ 2-3.) Williams entered into Pennsylvania's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition ("ARD") program and was sentenced to twelve months of probation, required alcohol and driver's safety classes, surrender of his driver's license, and payment of court costs. (Pl.'s SUMF ¶ 4; Gov't's SUMF ¶ 4.) Acceptance into the ARD program may be construed statutorily as a conviction for purposes of computing sentences on subsequent DUI convictions.3 See 75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3806(a)(1).

In November 2001, Williams was arrested in Philadelphia for DUI. (Gov't's SUMF ¶ 5.) The charges were dismissed for unknown reasons. (Id. ¶ 8.)

On September 7, 2004, Williams was once again pulled over in Philadelphia for DUI. (Id. ¶ 9; Pl.'s SUMF ¶ 7.) He was arrested, charged, and subsequently found guilty at trial in 2005 of DUI at the highest rate of intoxication in violation of 75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3802(c). (Gov't's SUMF ¶ 15; Pl.'s SUMF ¶¶ 7-8.) Although Williams was arrested at approximately 2:00 a.m., a test conducted at 3:20 a.m. indicated his BAC to be .223%. (See Gov't's SUMF ¶ 15; see also Gov't's Mem. Law Supp. Mot. Summ. J., Ex. C at MCP-00039.) He was sentenced on June 15, 2006 to ninety days to two years in prison; mandatory attendance at Alcohol Highway Safety School; a $ 1,500 fine, $ 180 in court costs, and a surcharge of $ 100; license suspension for eighteen months; and imposition of an ignition interlock. (See Gov't's Mem. Law Supp. Mot. Summ. J., Ex. C at MCP-000016, 000019.) The judge allowed Williams to serve his sentence on passive house arrest until electronic monitoring was available due to Williams' medical condition. (See Gov't's Mem. Law Supp. Mot. Summ. J., Ex. C at MCP-000019.) Because Williams' conviction was under 75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3802(c) and he had a prior offense, it was considered a first-degree *366misdemeanor. See 75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3803(b)(4). First-degree misdemeanors in Pennsylvania carry a maximum sentence of up to five years of imprisonment. See 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 106(b)(6). Accordingly, federal law disqualified him (and continues to do so) from possessing a firearm under § 922(g)(1).

Although Williams knew his license to carry a firearm had been revoked due to his 2005 DUI conviction, he continued to own approximately twenty firearms until 2014, including semi-automatic guns, revolvers, and shotguns. (Gov't's SUMF ¶¶ 19-21.) Further, between 1994 and 2010, he worked as a sales manager, firearms instructor, and range safety officer at a gun store and range called "Colosimo's."4 (Id. ¶ 22.) During this period, some of which included his federal firearm and ammunition prohibition, Williams physically handled firearms and ammunition every day as part of his job responsibilities. (Id. ¶¶ 24-25.) As part of his employment, Williams also had the responsibility for ensuring that those who wished to purchase firearms at Colosimo's could do so under federal and state law. (Id. ¶ 27.) Additionally, he was responsible for understanding the paperwork that was needed to complete those purchases, such as the Pennsylvania state firearms application. (Id. ¶ 28.)

Nevertheless, Williams in 2007 submitted an application to purchase a Glock-23. (Id. ¶ 31.) In paragraph thirty-two of the Pennsylvania State Police Application/Record of Sale, Williams checked the "no" box when asked, "Are you charged with, or have you ever been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year? This is the maximum sentence that you 'could have received,' not the actual sentence you did receive." (Gov't's SUMF ¶ 31, Ex. A ("Williams Dep."), Ex.

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Bluebook (online)
379 F. Supp. 3d 360, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/williams-v-barr-paed-2019.