BOBBY BARNARD BEASLEY, 20, of Seattle, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik acknowledged that BEASLEY had a “horrible upbringing, which could make a person bitter or angry,” but the Judge told BEASLEY, “you cannot have a weapon on you when you have a prior felony conviction.”

According to records filed in the case, on December 7, 2007, BEASLEY was pulled over by a Seattle Police Officer in south Seattle for driving with a cracked windshield. BEASLEY admitted his drivers license was suspended. When BEASLEY was searched pending his arrest for driving without a valid license, officers discovered suspected ecstacy and crack cocaine in his pockets. When they searched the car they found a firearm. BEASLEY had a prior felony conviction for theft, and was charged federally with being a felon in possession of a firearm in March 2008. BEASLEY pleaded guilty August 1, 2008.

In asking for a prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi described BEASLEY’s criminal history saying BEASLEY is “a confirmed gang member, (who) has been involved in past incidents involving the possession of a firearm, the violent use of a firearm, and drug trafficking. As a result, (he) has accumulated an impressive array of convictions for a man so young.” In his sentencing memo, Lombardi noted that there has been a rash of gang-related drive by shootings in Seattle and urged the court to impose a significant sentence to deter others like BEASLEY from carrying weapons.

The case was investigated by the Puget Sound Violent Crimes Task Force which contains agents and officers from the Seattle Police Department, FBI and ATF. BEASLEY was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. Unveiled by President George W. Bush in May 2001, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), is a comprehensive and strategic approach to gun law enforcement. PSN is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America by networking both new and existing local programs that target gun crime and then providing them with the resources and tools they need to succeed. Implementation at the local level -- in this case, in King County-- has fostered close partnerships between federal, state and local prosecutors and law enforcement.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

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