Takeem Lumpkin Sentenced in U.S. District Court
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on October 7, 2009, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, TAKEEM LUMPKIN appeared for sentencing. LUMPKIN was sentenced to a term of:
- Community Confinement: 6 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Restitution: $920
- Probation: 3 years
LUMPKIN was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Zink, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On November 6, 2008, LUMPKIN, along with Michael Adams and a juvenile, forcibly broke into the Northside Pawn Shop in Billings. Once inside, LUMPKIN and the others broke into a glass display case and stole two firearms. Their actions set off a motion alarm and officers with the Billings Police Department responded.
All three suspects were still present when the officers arrived and all three were apprehended. LUMPKIN and Adams both gave statements about their actions and the firearms were recovered. LUMPKIN told the officers where he discarded one of the stolen guns.
Adams pled guilty to federal charges and has been sentenced.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that LUMPKIN will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, LUMPKIN does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Billings Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This conviction is yet another important outcome from Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national priority of the United States Department of Justice. PSN is designed as a partnership between federal and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun-related crime through the vigorous enforcement of the criminal provisions of the federal firearms laws. In Montana, the effort under PSN is called "Catch and No Release."
