A 23-year-old Nigerian sprinter, Godson Oghenebrume, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison in the United States after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm while in the country on an F-1 student visa.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Oghenebrume illegally possessed a Glock 43X 9mm pistol on February 7, 2025, while studying in the U.S. under a non-immigrant student visa.
Court records show he was at his apartment in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with another woman when his ex-girlfriend, who is also the mother of his infant child, arrived with the baby. An argument broke out outside, during which he fired the g¥n while the child was present.
The dispute continued and spilled outside again, where he allegedly fired several more shots as his ex-girlfriend fled. Investigators found multiple b¥llet holes in the apartment complex. Authorities also said he smashed her phone and took the baby before the other woman intervened and recovered the child.
When East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputies arrived, Oghenebrume ignored commands, walked away from officers, and threw the pistol into nearby bushes before he was arrested. A neighbour told investigators the g¥nsh%ts were so loud they left his ears ringing.
During questioning, Oghenebrume admitted firing the we@pon, saying he only wanted to scare his ex-girlfriend into leaving.
U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced him to 27 months in prison. After completing his sentence, he will be subject to removal or deportation proceedings from the United States.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the ATF, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America.
