Prequondis Lequay Holmes, Felon in Possession of Firearm, Iowa 2020

A convicted felon from Waterloo, Iowa, received a 5-year prison sentence for possessing a firearm.

Prequondis Lequay Holmes, age 29, was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams to 70 months' imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a felon. Holmes must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Holmes was traveling in a vehicle when it was stopped by the police in August 2018. He told the driver to take off and then ran away, leaving a pistol with an attached high capacity extended magazine in the vehicle. Law enforcement found Holmes' DNA on the pistol. Holmes has previous convictions for intimidation with a dangerous weapon, reckless use of a firearm, assault causing bodily injury, eluding, and flight to avoid prosecution.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the U.S. government's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the U.S. government's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the U.S. government's past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS); and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

Holmes is being held in the United States Marshal's custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.

The case file number is 19-CR-2054.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/pr/dna-firearm-left-when-fleeing-police-leads-federal-prison-time-convicted-felon