DES MOINES, IA - On April 12, 2019, Tonnyia Barae Bruce, age 34, of Des Moines, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 18 months in prison for six counts of unlawful disposition of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Bruce was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term and to pay $600 to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund. Bruce pleaded guilty to the charges on Nov. 15, 2018.
On May 21, 2019, Bruce’s co-defendant, Nikko Alejandro Gatewood, age 24, of Des Moines was also sentenced by Judge Goodgame Ebinger to 100 months in prison for seven counts of felon in possession of a firearm. Gatewood was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $700 to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund. Gatewood pleaded guilty to the charges on Nov. 20, 2018.
According to court documents, from at least August 2017 through July 2018, Bruce purchased nine firearms at the direction of her boyfriend and co-defendant, Gatewood, whom she knew was a convicted felon. Gatewood then sold these guns on the street. At least one of the guns sold was later recovered after it was used in connection with a drug trafficking offense.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Des Moines Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office-Southern District of Iowa.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
