Dubuque Gunman Gets 10 Years: Bar Fight Led to Federal Sentence

DUBUQUE, IA – A late-night bar brawl in Dubuque landed 27-year-old Tyrone Clifton in federal prison for a decade. Clifton was sentenced today to 120 months’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a charge stemming from a November 22, 2013, shooting.

According to court documents, Clifton was involved in an altercation at a Dubuque bar where he discharged a firearm, striking another individual. Instead of staying to face the music, Clifton bolted, but Dubuque PD quickly caught up with him later that same day, finding him in a vehicle with a loaded 9mm pistol. The incident wasn’t an isolated one; Clifton’s rap sheet stretches back over a decade.

Federal prosecutors revealed a pattern of criminal behavior, detailing prior convictions in Cook County, Illinois. Clifton’s history includes multiple drug offenses – possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (2005), simple possession (2006), and delivery (2008) – alongside charges of escape (2008) and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon (2011). All of these constitute felony offenses, permanently barring him from legally possessing firearms.

The sentencing took place in Cedar Rapids before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. In addition to the 10-year prison term, Clifton was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and will serve a three-year term of supervised release following his incarceration. For those unfamiliar with the federal system, parole is not an option.

Clifton is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service awaiting transfer to a designated federal prison facility. The case was spearheaded by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt, with crucial investigative work provided by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).

Those seeking further details can access court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14-CR-1003. This case serves as a stark reminder that illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon carries significant federal penalties.