A Davenport man, Diamonte Eugene Thomas, was sentenced on March 12 to 170 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a felon.
The case highlights ongoing efforts to address gun violence and enforce laws prohibiting felons from possessing firearms or ammunition. According to public court documents, Thomas, age 27, fired a gun three times from a vehicle toward two people entering an apartment building in Davenport in October 2023. Three children were present in the car at the time of the shooting. Law enforcement recovered three spent shell casings from the scene.
Thomas is barred from possessing ammunition due to his status as a felon, which includes a 2023 conviction for unlawful possession with intent to deliver cannabis in Illinois Circuit Court for Rock Island County. After serving his prison sentence, Thomas will be required to complete a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing and said that the Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together law enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021, focusing on fostering trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
