Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm After a High-Speed Pursuit with Iowa State Trooper in Stolen Vehicle

Ahmed Abdullahai Khalif, 23, from Owosso, Michigan, was sentenced on October 23, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, for illegally possessing a firearm. 

Khalif pled guilty on March 30, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  Khalif was a user of marijuana and was previously convicted of Illegal Sale/Use of a Financial Transaction Device, a felony, in the Michigan District Court for Shiawassee County, on June 21, 2019.  Both prohibit a person from possessing a firearm. 

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on October 19, 2022, during a traffic stop, Khalif possessed a 9mm Taurus pistol and marijuana while being a felon.  Prior to the traffic stop, an Iowa State Patrol trooper clocked the vehicle Khalif was driving on Interstate 35 in Franklin County, Iowa, in excess of 100 mph.  After the trooper activated his emergency lights, Khalif led the trooper on a high-speed pursuit into Wright County, at times traveling toward oncoming traffic.  Ultimately, Khalif intentionally rammed the trooper’s vehicle and fled on foot a short distance before being apprehended.  The vehicle Khalif was driving came back as stolen out of Massachusetts.  During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement found the 9mm Taurus pistol and marijuana.  Khalif has an extensive criminal history involving thefts of motor vehicles.     

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Khalif was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and must serve a three year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  His sentence was reduced by one year and five days due to time served on related state convictions.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Khalif remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DCI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 22-3035.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.