Former Davenport Man Sentenced For Possession Of Firearm As Felon

DAVENPORT, IA - On June 27, 2013, Brett Lee Roelandt, age 22, from Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge James E. Gritzner to 30 months imprisonment, after pleading guilty to felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Roelandt was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On March 30, 2010, Roelandt was with a group of individuals that got into an argument with Aki Ross in the area of 12th and Pershing Avenue in Davenport. At that time, Roelandt was in possession of a Smith & Wesson, Model 411, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. As the group walked away, Aki Ross followed with a handgun. Brett Roelandt and other subjects observed Ross approaching with the handgun and took cover behind a van parked on the east side of Pershing Avenue. Roelandt discharged a shot from his handgun, and Ross fired several shots in the general direction of Roelandt. At approximately the same time, Joevonte Howard, age 18, was attempting to cross the street between Roelandt and Ross. Howard was struck by a bullet from Ross’ handgun and later died. Roelandt left the shooting scene with the handgun. As part of the subsequent police investigation a .40 caliber casing was found a short distance from the van where Roelandt took cover. Roelandt was prohibited from possession of a firearm as the result of a 2008 felony conviction.

Aki Ross was convicted on June 29, 2011, in Iowa District Court for Scott County of the crimes of voluntary manslaughter and intimidation with a weapon, and sentenced on July 22, 2011, to six consecutive 10-year terms of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Davenport Police Department and the Scott County Attorney’s Office, the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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