A Benton Harbor man has been sentenced to 71 months in prison in a federal firearms case.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten says 26-year-old Shamonte Demorquez Buchanan was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Totten says Buchanan was charged after a shootout on July 9 of last year. It occurred in a parking lot at the River Terrace Apartments in Benton Harbor.
During the shootout, which involved multiple shooters, an apartment across the parking lot was struck five times by gunfire. One bullet entered a bedroom where a resident was, and there was also a young child in the apartment.
During the offense, which was caught on surveillance video, Buchanan was shot and dropped his gun. Evidence showed that Buchanan fired 13 rounds and that his firearm had an extended magazine. He had prior felony convictions, and therefore was not allowed to possess a firearm.
Totten says, “The people of Benton Harbor deserve to carry out their lives free from the threat of violence, and the prosecution of Mr. Buchanan is one step closer to achieving that goal.”
