U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Robert Lee Reynolds, 28, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Ironwood, Michigan, was sentenced for possessing a stolen firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced Reynolds to 120 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm that he stole from a victim in Ironwood, Michigan.
“Stopping gun violence before tragedy strikes is critical to preventing senseless violent crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their coordinated efforts to keep our communities safe and guns out of the hands of individuals who possess them illegally.”
In May 2023, the Ironwood Public Safety Department learned that Reynolds stole a pistol from an individual in Ironwood then threatened to kill that individual. Reynolds later appeared on social media where he recorded himself brandishing a pistol and threatening more people. Investigators eventually found Reynolds and the stolen gun in a vehicle Reynolds was driving in Menominee, Michigan. Reynolds fled from police before turning himself in after a standoff.
“Robert Reynolds stole a firearm and used it to threaten and intimidate several people in our community to include the firearm owner. Armed threats can quickly escalate into gun violence. Mr. Reynolds’ arrest quite possibly saved lives,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “In the end, Mr. Reynolds will have a lot of time in prison to reflect on his poor decisions. Gun theft is wrong. The message should be clear, if you choose to engage in gun violence, you should pack your bags for prison.”
The Ironwood Public Safety Department, Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office, Menominee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Lochner and Jacob Metoxen prosecuted the case.
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