Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — John Damian, 30, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2023, law enforcement officers attempted to serve a search warrant on an armed robbery suspect who was walking with Damian. Damian was on parole for multiple felonies and was subject to a search clause. Damian initially hesitated to comply with the law enforcement officers commands and attempted to go around the side of the robbery suspect’s vehicle. But as the officers approached him, he admitted to having a gun. A loaded Glock 27 semi-automatic firearm was found in his right sweatshirt pocket. The firearm contained a 13-round magazine loaded with .40 caliber ammunition, but no round in the chamber. In his left sweatshirt pocket, detectives located approximately 20.74 grams of cocaine. Damian has previously been convicted of multiple felonies including assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, being a felon in possession of a firearm, assault on person with a semi-automatic firearm, and willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner.
Damian is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Aug. 26, 2024. Damian faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.