Toledo Man Sentenced for Illegal Guns, Bomb Cache

Jeffrey Davenport, 52, of Toledo, is headed to federal prison for stashing a private arsenal that included an improvised explosive device and 11 firearms—despite being barred from owning a single bullet. On Monday, November 22, U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary sentenced Davenport to 54 months behind bars after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered destructive device.

The weapons cache came to light on July 1, 2020, when the Toledo Police Department’s SWAT team and the Northwest Ohio Bomb Squad raided Davenport’s Atlantic Avenue residence. Inside, they uncovered a smoke grenade, three inert grenades, a flak jacket, scattered ammunition, and the 11 firearms. Even more alarming: an improvised explosive device, carefully tucked into a collection of gear fit for a militia compound, not a residential home in Northwest Ohio.

As officers combed through the property, two of Davenport’s associates were caught attempting to run interference. They were detained while fleeing the scene after hauling out eight boxes of ammunition, seven firearms, a green rifle case, and a 12-gauge shotgun—items they admitted to removing to hide from police. Their actions only deepened the investigation and tightened the noose around Davenport’s operation.

Davenport has a violent past that stripped him of his gun rights years ago. Convicted in 2003 in Lucas County Common Pleas Court of felonious assault and attempted felonious assault on a peace officer, he’s been legally prohibited from possessing any firearm since. Yet, his home became a stockpile of illegal weapons, suggesting defiance and danger rolled into one.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Toledo Police Department led the investigation, piecing together the timeline of Davenport’s illegal hoard. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deyana F. Unis, who emphasized the threat posed by armed felons amassing military-grade equipment in urban neighborhoods.

Davenport’s 54-month sentence sends a message: federal authorities are watching, and illegal arsenals won’t be tolerated. But the discovery raises questions about how long the cache went undetected and how close Toledo came to a disaster. For now, Davenport’s weapons are confiscated, and he’s traded Atlantic Avenue for a federal cellblock.

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