Ashtabula man with a history of violence sentenced to 10 years in prison for firearms and drug crimes

An Ashtabula man with a history of violence was sentenced to 10 years in prison for firearms and drug crimes.

Michael Thomas, 51, was sentenced to 120 months of incarceration by U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver. Thomas pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“This is a defendant with a history of violent crime who was dealing drugs and illegally had a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “Ashtabula is a safer place because law enforcement worked together to remove this threat from the community.”

Thomas was arrested in Ashtabula on Nov. 26, 2017, and found to be in possession of Ruger Model P95 pistol and more than 32 grams of crack cocaine.  He was prohibited from having a firearm because of prior convictions for felonious assault, assault on a peace officer, possession of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine with a firearm specification, and other crimes, according to court documents.

Thomas was ordered to forfeit the firearm. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burke following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office, the Ashtabula Police Department, and the Trumbull/Ashtabula County Narcotics Task Force (TAG).