Lincoln Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Possession of a Firearm

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Davonte Brown, 24, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to 24 months’ imprisonment. Brown’s sentence follows his conviction for being an unlawful user of controlled substances who possessed a firearm. Brown was also sentenced to a two-year term of supervised release to be served after he completes his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. Brown pleaded guilty to his offense on June 23, 2023.

The indictment against Brown was filed on June 17, 2020. Brown was allowed to be released from custody while his case was pending. One of the conditions of his release required that he stay in contact with the United States Probation Office. At some point after he was allowed to be on pretrial release, Brown absconded, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Brown was located and arrested on January 5, 2023. At today’s sentencing hearing, Senior Judge Gerrard remarked that Brown’s offense would typically receive an 18-month term of imprisonment. However, because Brown absconded, Judge Gerrard added an additional six months to Brown’s sentence.

On April 17, 2020, a person in Lincoln purchased a KelTec rifle from a gun store. Brown later posted a video on Snapchat which depicted him in possession of that rifle. Police executed a search warrant at the home of the person who purchased the firearm. The KelTec rifle was recovered, and it was examined for fingerprints. Two sets of fingerprints were found on the rifle, one of which matched Brown’s fingerprints.

At the time when Brown possessed the rifle, he was an unlawful user of marijuana. Between contacts with law enforcement, and postings on social media, evidence was obtained showing Brown in possession of marijuana between July 2018 and May 2020.

The investigation was conducted by the Lincoln Police Department’s Gang Unit, which works with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in referring some cases for federal prosecution. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also assisted by helping to trace the origins of the firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.