DENVER — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Colorado), published as received.
DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Dedric Mayfield, age 46, of Denver, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to facts presented at trial, on August 27, 2021, Mayfield was caught on surveillance cameras firing multiple shots at a man fleeing down an alley near the 1500-block of North Verbena Street in broad daylight in a busy area. After engaging in what appeared to be drug transactions on the street, Mayfield got into an argument with a man who arrived in the area. Mayfield went to a Ford Explorer, got in the passenger seat, and his girlfriend drove the two of them away. Officers responded to the scene within minutes. They found five spent .40 caliber shell casings at the mouth of the alley. They later found a sixth spent .40 caliber shell casing near where the Ford Explorer had been parked. One bullet pierced a window at a gas station located downstream from the alley and shattered a refrigerator door inside. The gas station clerk testified that the path of the bullet from the window to the refrigerator essentially split the distance between two customers waiting in line. Officers later recovered a bullet fragment from the refrigerator. Through the Ford Explorer’s license plate, visible on camera, officers were able to identify Mayfield’s girlfriend, which led them to Mayfield. There was no dispute that he was the man on video. Officers eventually arrested Mayfield and searched his residence. They found clothing that matched what he was wearing during the shooting.
Judge William J. Martinez presided over the two-day trial in April 2022 and sentenced the defendant on March 24, 2023. Judge Martinez also sentenced the defendant to three years of supervised release.
“This dangerous felon posed a significant danger to the public after three decades of guns, violence, and general disregard for the law,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “He will spend the next decade coming to the realization that we will not tolerate such unlawful behavior and will vigorously prosecute those who violate our gun laws."
“Resolving any dispute with firearms is reckless and dangerous,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Armed felons often commit violent crimes, and we are grateful he will no longer pose a threat to our communities while in prison.”
“Our community is safer today because of the steadfast commitment of the partnering agencies to seek the greatest legal consequences for armed felons causing harm in our community,” said Denver Chief of Police Ron Thomas. “I applaud the efforts of all the investigators and prosecutors and their efforts that resulted in this outcome.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Division investigated this case, with assistance from the Denver Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Rajiv Mohan and Celeste Rangel and prosecuted the case.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-00341
