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Press Release

Oregon Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Oregon


Linn County Man Admits to being an Armed Career Criminal and Shooting Two Men with a Short Barreled Shotgun during a Drug Deal

EUGENE, Ore. – Karl David Bowman, Jr., 36, of Linn County, Oregon, appeared before U. S. District Court Chief Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene today and pled guilty to being an armed career criminal.  Bowman admitted shooting two men at Cheadle Lake Park on June 16, 2012, with a short-barreled shotgun loaded with birdshot while attempting to rob them of drugs, money, and their car.  The men received serious but non-life threatening injuries.  

After accepting the guilty plea, Chief Judge Aiken sentenced Bowman to 20 years in prison and five years of post-prison supervision following his release.  Chief Judge Aiken sentenced Bowman as an armed career criminal because he possessed the shotgun after being previously convicted of two robberies, a residential burglary, and delivery of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Bowman and an accomplice met two men near Cheadle Lake in Lebanon, Oregon, to conduct a drug deal.  Bowman carried a short-barreled shotgun as he walked up to the car to conduct the deal and pointed the barrel of the weapon at the driver’s head and toward the passenger.  When Bowman demanded they get out of the car and give him money, drugs and the car keys, the driver tried to accelerate and Bowman shot both men.  The driver was wounded in the neck and shoulder, and the passenger was wounded in the left thigh.

Linn County Sheriff deputies and Lebanon police officers arrested Bowman and his accomplice as they attempted to leave the shooting scene.  Police recovered the abandoned weapon and also found drug paraphernalia and stolen property in Bowman’s vehicle.  At the time of his arrest, Bowman was wanted for identification theft, forgery, theft, illegal possession of weapons, failure to appear, trespassing and traffic crimes in Oregon and Washington.  He had been released from the Oregon Department of Corrections on September 8, 2011.

The defendant’s guilty plea in federal court is the result of a global settlement, whereby the 240 months in federal prison are part of a plea agreement with the U. S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon, Clackamas County District Attorney, Linn County District Attorney, King County Prosecuting Attorney, Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney, and Longview City Prosecuting Attorney.  As part of the overall agreement, Bowman agreed that he will pay restitution to his victim in King County, Washington.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm, Oregon

State Police, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lebanon Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank R. Papagni, Jr., with the assistance of Linn County Deputy District Attorney Coleen Cerda, prosecuted the case.

Updated January 29, 2015

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