COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Michigan man was sentenced yesterday to five years (60 months) in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents, Michael Anthony McBride, 30, was stopped for speeding by the Iowa State Patrol in Adair County on July 21, 2023. A search of McBride’s vehicle led to the discovery of user quantities of marijuana and cocaine, a digital scale, and two firearms: a loaded nine-millimeter pistol and a semi-automatic “ghost gun.” McBride admitted to purchasing the firearms for protection. The nine-millimeter pistol had been reported stolen from a residence in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan in June 2023. McBride had been convicted of a felony drug crime in Michigan and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, McBride will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.