Terrence Terrial Izear Turner, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Michigan 2024

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – A Benton Harbor man has been sentenced to 165 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm following a shootout at an apartment complex.

Terrence Terrial Izear Turner, 29, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou for his role in the July 9, 2023, shootout at the River Terrace Apartments in Benton Harbor.

According to court documents, Turner was a suspect in the shootout, which involved multiple shooters and resulted in an apartment across the parking lot being struck five times by gunfire. A young child was present in the apartment at the time of the shooting, and Turner was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior convictions.

Turner previously pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on January 10, 2024. He was charged following an investigation that culminated in a search warrant at a residence where Turner was staying with a gun.

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said, “Mr. Turner’s careless acts of violence put innocent lives at risk and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crime.” Totten added, “My office is committed to identifying and federally prosecuting the individuals driving gun violence in our communities. There is no acceptable level of violent crime. In this case and others, we are working with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that dangerous members of the community are brought to justice.”

Shamonte Buchanan, another shooter at the River Terrace Apartments, was previously sentenced to 71 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a nationwide effort to reduce violent crime.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Michigan State Police (MSP), Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Benton Township Police Department, Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren F. Biksacky prosecuted the case.

Terrence Terrial Izear Turner’s sentence serves as a warning to those involved in gun violence in our communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for driving violent crime in our neighborhoods.

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