Godson Oghenebrume Sentenced to 27 Months in USA Firearms Case

The USA Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana has announced that Godson Oghenebrume, age 23, a Nigerian national residing in Baton Rouge, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison by USA Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick following his conviction for possession of a firearm by an alien admitted to the United States under a non‑immigrant visa.

He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completion of his sentence.

According to admissions made during his plea, on February 7, 2025, Oghenebrume possessed a Glock model 43X, 9mm pistol, while admitted to the United States under a non‑immigrant F‑1 student visa.

The complaint preceding the indictment detailed that on the night of February 7, Oghenebrume’s ex‑girlfriend, who is also the mother of his infant child, arrived at his apartment with the baby.

An argument ensued outside the apartment, during which Oghenebrume discharged the firearm while the baby was present. Multiple bullet strikes were later observed in the walls of the apartment complex.

Oghenebrume smashed his ex‑girlfriend’s phone and briefly took the baby before another woman intervened to retrieve the child.

When East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputies arrived, Oghenebrume ignored commands and discarded the firearm into nearby shrubs before being detained. In a post‑Miranda interview, he admitted firing the gun to ‘scare her away.’

U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Lyman E. Thornton III led the prosecution.

‘This sentence reflects our commitment to enforcing federal firearm laws and protecting our communities from violent crime,’ said Wall. ‘No one is above the law, regardless of their background or achievements.’

Oghenebrume was once considered Nigeria’s brightest sprint prospect. A standout at Louisiana State University, he clocked 9.90 seconds in the 100m, a time that placed him among the fastest Nigerians in history.

He was widely tipped as the next big star in Nigerian athletics, with Olympic potential.

His conviction and impending deportation mark a dramatic fall from grace for an athlete who had been celebrated as a future icon of the sport.

Godson Oghenebrume Sentenced to 27 Months in USA for Firearms Case