A Des Moines man has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for illegal firearm possession as a drug user, following a shooting incident in December 2024. Bryan Keith Rainey, Jr., 20, and two others fired at least 36 rounds at a home occupied by two children and their mother on December 16, 2024. Eleven of those rounds struck the house, but no injuries were reported.
Three days after the shooting, police located Rainey in a parking lot. He attempted to flee but was apprehended. Officers found a loaded AR-15 style pistol in his possession that matched shell casings from the scene of the shooting. A subsequent search of Rainey's residence uncovered additional ammunition and items related to drug use.
Rainey will also serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term. His federal sentence will run partially consecutively with his state sentence connected to the same incident. There is no parole available in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing. The case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin M. Herrera.
The prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates law enforcement agencies and community organizations to reduce gun violence and violent crime. In May 2021, PSN adopted new strategies focusing on building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention groups, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and tracking outcomes. More information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.
