Dubuque Gunman Coleman Gets Nine Years

DUBUQUE, IA – Jevonne Martell Coleman, 33, of Dubuque, is headed to federal prison for nine years after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon. The sentence stems from a brazen shooting in August 2017 where Coleman opened fire on a pedestrian, leaving the victim with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite surviving the attack, the incident landed Coleman in court and, ultimately, behind bars.

The August 9, 2017, incident began with a verbal dispute between Coleman and the pedestrian. Later that evening, Coleman and an accomplice were loitering on Locust Street when the pedestrian approached. Coleman’s friend physically assaulted the pedestrian, striking him, prompting the victim to flee. Coleman then pursued the man, brandishing a firearm and unleashing a volley of shots. Following the shooting, Coleman attempted to conceal the weapon in nearby shrubbery and hid himself in a bluff area, but was quickly apprehended by responding officers. A preliminary breath test revealed Coleman’s blood alcohol content was a staggering .315%.

United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams, presiding over the case in Cedar Rapids, handed down the 108-month sentence on May 13, 2019, along with a $100 fine. Coleman will also be subject to a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence. Crucially, there is no parole in the federal system, meaning Coleman will serve the entirety of his nine-year term. Judge Williams didn’t buy Coleman’s attempts to justify the shooting, specifically rejecting his invocation of Iowa’s “Stand Your Ground Law.”

This wasn’t Coleman’s first brush with the law. Court records show a history of prior convictions, including multiple offenses relating to controlled substances, including dealing drugs near a school, in Cook County, Illinois. These prior convictions played a significant role in the severity of the sentence. The prosecution, led by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek, successfully argued for a substantial prison term, highlighting Coleman’s dangerous behavior and criminal history.

The case was brought under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative focused on reducing violent crime. PSN emphasizes a collaborative approach, bringing together law enforcement, community organizations, and prevention programs to address the root causes of violence and target the most dangerous offenders. The Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Coleman is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals awaiting transport to a designated federal prison.

For those seeking further details, court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-CR-1017. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa on Twitter @USAO_NDIA for updates on federal crime cases in the region.