bicyclist with handgun to federal prison
Contact: Peter Deegan
A Cedar Rapids man with felony and domestic abuse convictions who possessed a firearm was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Shawn Jones, age 29, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 7, 2010, guilty plea to being a felon and domestic violence misdemeanant in possession of a firearm.
Jones had been convicted of Going Armed with Intent and Assault Causing Serious Injury in 2001, Domestic Battery in 2008, and Domestic Battery in 2005.
On September 25, 2009, an investigator with the Cedar Rapids Police Department saw Jones weaving on the road and sidewalk on a bicycle. The investigator knew Jones had outstanding warrants from Washington and Johnson Counties in Iowa. The investigator approached Jones about riding the bike on the sidewalk and asked Jones for identification. Jones got off the bicycle, said his identification was in his apartment, and ran.
As the investigator chased Jones, Jones reached for something in his waistband. Based on Jones’ movement, the investigator expected Jones to draw a gun from his waistband. Instead, Jones continued to run, eventually jumping over a fence into a yard. Jones’ foot caught the fence, and he stumbled. As Jones stumbled, the investigator saw something fall from Jones’ pant leg. The investigator caught Jones, wrestled him to the ground, and handcuffed him. When the investigator went back to the fence, he discovered a loaded semiautomatic 9mm handgun that fell from Jones’ pant leg.
Jones was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Jones was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment, and a special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Teig as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state, and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 09-72.
