Andrial Ortiz, a 30-year-old from Lansing, Michigan, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey.
"Andrial Ortiz was a felon who was not allowed to possess a gun, and the moment he did he used it to shoot a police officer. My office was happy to prosecute this case. We accept the 15-year sentence as a just response. I hope everyone reading this will take a minute to remember and appreciate that we ask law enforcement officers to risk their lives on a regular basis," said VerHey.
Ortiz was pulled over by police during an investigation into a road rage incident. At the time, he was on parole following convictions for selling drugs, unarmed robbery, and larceny. During the traffic stop, police discovered drugs in his vehicle. When officers attempted to arrest him, Ortiz resisted violently and managed to remove firearms from two officers’ waistbands during the struggle. He fired one of the weapons and shot a patrol officer in the leg.
ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir commented: "Ortiz’s conduct was reckless, violent, and showed a complete disregard for the lives of the officers involved. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms, yet this defendant violently resisted arrest, disarmed officers, and fired a weapon, seriously injuring a patrol officer. This sentence reflects the seriousness of that violence and sends the right message to drug trafficking convicted felons in our community who attack law enforcement: if you do this, pack your bags because you’re going to prison for an extended period of time."
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Michigan State Police, Lansing Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Ghiselli and Jonathan Roth led the prosecution.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which coordinates law enforcement efforts with community organizations to reduce violent crime and gun violence across neighborhoods nationwide. In May 2021, PSN adopted new strategies focused on building trust within communities and supporting prevention programs while prioritizing strategic enforcement efforts. More details about PSN are available at Justice.gov/PSN.
