PITTSFORD N.Y. – On a pleasant Friday afternoon, in the town of Pittsford, residents enjoying the music along the Erie Canal are still disturbed by the investigation into the death of Jim Tan in 2015 and the past murder accusation against his son, Charlie.

Tan appeared in Federal Court in Syracuse Friday afternoon and pleaded guilty to gun charges.

Prosecutors maintain the gun connected to those charges was used to kill Charlie's father.

Ron Hofmann, of Pittsford, says the man who actually purchased that gun should to be charged as well.

“He bought a gun for someone else, when he knew he couldn’t buy it, so he’s just as guilty as Tan, if not more guilty.”

Law experts say because a judge dismissed the earlier murder case against Tan, a number of factors could have played a part in his decision to plead guilty to these totally separate charges. While the federal case against Tan will not go to trial, attorney Mark Foti says it’s not unusual for attorneys to move towards trial to leave their options open.

“Part of it involves taking time to consider things fully and her issues come up and discussion advances as you approach trial sometimes," Foti said. "That sometimes leads to the decision to take a plea instead of proceeding with a trial.”

Tan’s story is still a discussion around Pittsford; he will have several months to contemplate how long he'll spend in prison, as he could face up to 25 years behind bars.