Joshua Lee, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Missouri 2022

ST. LOUIS, MO - Joshua Lee, a 37-year-old man from St. Louis County, has been sentenced to 7 years and 5 months in prison for committing a brutal domestic assault and shooting his then-girlfriend in 2022.

The assault occurred on August 6, 2022, when Lee's then-girlfriend was shot in the back during a struggle over a handgun that Lee had in his waistband. Lee initially told police that the victim had shot herself, but evidence and testimony presented in court revealed that Lee had committed an aggravated assault by striking and choking his then-girlfriend before the shooting.

Lee is a convicted felon and is barred from possessing a firearm. Despite this, he was found to be in possession of a handgun on the day of the assault. He pleaded guilty in October to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In addition to the 7 years and 5 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Lee was also sentenced to 5 more months in prison for violating his supervised release. Lee had previously pleaded guilty in 2016 to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was on supervised release at the time of the assault.

The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag is prosecuting the case.

The sentence handed down to Lee is a just one, given the severity of the crime. Domestic violence is a serious issue that affects far too many people, and it's essential that those who commit these crimes are held accountable.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of gun safety and the need for stricter laws to prevent felons from possessing firearms.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/man-sentenced-7-years-prison-after-domestic-assault-shooting