WATERLOO, IOWA – A Waterloo man who possessed a loaded privately made firearm, also known as a ‘ghost gun,’ and ammunition at a Waterloo high school football game was sentenced yesterday to nearly four years in prison.
Dayton Amaru Shakur Bruce, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 4, 2024, guilty plea to possession of ammunition by a drug user. According to the plea and sentencing hearings, Bruce threw a fully loaded ‘ghost gun’ in the back of a pickup truck during a chase by Waterloo police officers. The gun was later located in the pickup truck.
The incident occurred in August 2023, when Waterloo police officers responded to Waterloo East High School after a fight broke out. Officers observed Bruce in the crowd and attempted to contact him after learning he may be involved in the fight. Bruce ran and officers chased him throughout the parking lot.
Bruce was under the influence of marijuana at the time and was a regular user of marijuana. ‘Ghost guns’ are guns which are often assembled from kits, do not contain serial numbers, and are sold without background checks, making them difficult to trace and easy to acquire by criminals.
The court also found that Bruce was involved in a shooting in June 2023. During that incident, Bruce shot into a car hitting the victim in the back of the head. The victim survived that incident. Bruce was later located by police and the gun used in that shooting was found nearby.
Bruce was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Bruce’s case is a prime example of the dangers of ‘ghost guns.’ These untraceable firearms are a growing concern for law enforcement and public safety. The possession of such firearms can lead to devastating consequences, as seen in this case.
Related Federal Cases
- Gregory Chauncy Checora, Gun Possession, Salt Lake City UT, 2023 · Utah
- Randy Patrie, Felon in Possession of Stolen Firearms, Charles City … · Illinois
- Amos Dee Deering Sr. Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Charges, Waterlo… · Illinois
- Brandon Phinney, Child Pornography Possession, Clear Lake IA, 2013 · Iowa
- Daniel Wildman Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearms Possession, IA, 2013 · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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