United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

DALLAS MAN SENTENCED TO NEARLY 16 YEARS
IN FEDERAL PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE, FOR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

DALLAS - Michael Dewayne Vickers, age 45, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle to 190 months in prison, without parole, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Vickers was convicted in January by a federal jury following a two-day trial before Judge Boyle. Vickers was sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal, which prescribes harsher punishment for offenders with three or more prior convictions for serious felonies.

Court testimony showed that on August 30, 2005, officers with the Dallas Police Department responded to a complaint on Andover Drive and encountered Vickers, who matched the description of the individual reported by the complainant. As officers attempted to frisk Vickers for weapons, Vickers attempted to flee and exclaimed, "I can't go to jail." Officers quickly captured Vickers and discovered a loaded .38 caliber revolver concealed on his person. Officers then learned that Vickers was a convicted felon and, thus, he was not eligible to possess a firearm. According to court documents, Vickers was convicted in 1982 for murder, in 1989 for burglary of a habitation, and in 1991 for cocaine distribution.

The case was presented to the United States Attorney's Office for prosecution under the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative, which is geared toward the aggressive prosecution of firearm offenses. The United States Attorney applauded the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Dallas Police Department in assisting his office in a successful prosecution of a serious firearm offense. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Tromblay and Special Assistant United States Attorney Amy Mitchell.

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