Washington man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegal gun possession
A Washington man who was illegally in possession of firearms during a police chase and crash in Armstrong County six years ago will spend a decade in prison after pleading guilty to federal gun charges in October.
Derik Carothers, 29, was sentenced Thursday to serve 10 years in federal prison after he was found to be in possession of multiple guns despite his criminal history that barred him from having any weapons.
According to federal court documents, Carothers led state police on a high-speed chase on Route 28 near Freeport on Oct. 20, 2019, when he crashed his SUV and it rolled over. Police found crack cocaine and four loaded firearms inside or near the vehicle in which Carothers was driving and two passengers were riding, federal investigators said. Two of the weapons were reported stolen and one had its serial number removed.
Carothers was not permitted to possess firearms because of separate gun-related convictions on state charges in Cambria County in 2013 and 2017.
He pleaded guilty Oct. 30 at the federal courthouse in Johnstown to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to online court documents.
During his sentencing hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines also ordered Carothers to serve three years on supervised release following his prison term.