Damien Kent Hallmon, Possessing Ammunition as a Felon, Minnesota 2023

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Damien Kent Hallmon, 40, of St. Paul, is headed to federal prison for over six years after a jury found him guilty of possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced the sentencing Wednesday, detailing how Hallmon’s past kept him from legally owning firearms or ammo.

The case unfolded August 28, 2022, when Bloomington police pulled over a vehicle driven by Hallmon for a series of traffic violations. Officers detected signs of marijuana use, prompting a search. Inside Hallmon’s fiancé’s purse, they discovered a loaded 9mm handgun – a “ghost gun,” technically known as a Polymer 80 – stripped of a serial number, making it untraceable.

Federal law prohibits anyone with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition, and Hallmon’s record clearly put him in that category. The discovery of the illegal weapon and ammunition led to federal charges, bypassing state-level penalties. The untraceable nature of the Polymer 80, increasingly common on the streets, adds another layer of concern for law enforcement.

After a trial, a federal jury convicted Hallmon on November 3, 2023, of the single count of possessing ammunition as a felon. Yesterday, Judge Kate M. Menendez handed down the sentence: 74 months – or just over six years – in federal prison. The sentence underscores the federal government’s commitment to cracking down on illegal gun possession by those already barred from owning them.

The investigation was a collaborative effort, bringing together the Bloomington Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Science Lab, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary S. Riverso, Ruth S. Shnider, and Laura M. Provinzino led the prosecution.

The case highlights the ongoing struggle against illegal firearms, particularly privately made weapons that circumvent standard background checks and traceability. While Hallmon is now facing consequences, the proliferation of ‘ghost guns’ continues to pose a significant challenge for law enforcement across the nation, and the Grimy Times will continue to follow this trend.

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