Twenty-three-year-old Nigerian sprinter Godson Oghenebrume has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison in the United States for unlawful possession of a f!rearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall in a statement released by the Department of Justice on June 30, 2026.
Oghenebrume, a former athlete at Louisiana State University who resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick after being convicted of possessing a f!rearm while admitted to the United States on a non-immigrant F-1 student visa.
He is also expected to face removal or deportation proceedings after completing his prison sentence.
According to court records and admissions made during his plea, Oghenebrume possessed a Glock 43X 9mm pistol on February 7, 2025, while in the United States on a student visa.
Authorities said the incident began when his former girlfriend, who is also the mother of his infant child, arrived at his apartment with the baby. Oghenebrume was reportedly inside the apartment with another woman at the time.
Investigators said an argument broke out between Oghenebrume and his former girlfriend outside the apartment, during which he allegedly discharged the firearm while the child was present.
According to the complaint, a second argument later occurred after the woman entered the apartment and saw Oghenebrume with another woman. The dispute reportedly continued outside, where additional shots were allegedly fired as she fled the area.
Authorities said multiple bullet impacts were later discovered on the walls of the apartment complex.
The complaint further alleged that Oghenebrume damaged his former girlfriend’s phone and took custody of the child during the incident. The other woman present later assisted in returning the baby to the child’s mother.
When deputies from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, investigators said Oghenebrume ignored commands, walked away from officers, and discarded the firearm into nearby shrubs before being detained.
A neighbour reportedly confirmed hearing gunshots, while detectives later interviewed Oghenebrume after advising him of his rights.
During the interview, he allegedly stated that he fired the weapon because he wanted his former girlfriend to leave and intended to scare her away.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Lyman E. Thornton III, with support from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted under Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative focused on immigration enforcement, combating transnational criminal organizations, and addressing violent crime.