CINCINNATI — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Ohio, Southern), published as received.

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury indicted Lamont Champion, 27, of Cincinnati, charging him with three counts of federal firearms crimes. Champion allegedly possessed ammunition or firearms connected to at least two homicides and three total shootings.

Champion was originally charged by criminal complaint on Sept. 11. 

According to charging documents, law enforcement officials recovered a firearm from Champion in June 2026 from which ballistics results matched casings from a February homicide of two victims at the Villages of Roll Hill. Law enforcement seized that firearm.

Champion was later involved in two separate shootings. First, Champion allegedly shot a victim on East Clifton Avenue in July 2026. Then, in August, Champion allegedly fired gunshots at the occupants of a car in the area of the Enclave Event Center. 

Analysis from National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) indicates the same firearm was used in the July and August shootings.  

Agents executed a search warrant at Champion’s residence on the morning of his arrest and recovered two 9mm handguns, both with extended magazines.

Champion’s phone was searched and allegedly contained a series of text and audio messages in which Champion referred to himself as the “reaper,” explained how good he was at shooting/killing people, how he did it with a smile on his face and how “hittin a mother***er” would make him happy for a whole month. The messages also contained Champion describing the events of one of the shootings and mockingly describing the way the victim reacted to being shot.

Champion has prior felony convictions for fentanyl and firearms crimes. Possessing a firearm or ammunition as a previously convicted felon is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Champion is charged with two counts of illegally possessing ammunition and one count of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. 

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie; and Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Frederic C. Shadley and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allison Oswall from Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson’s Office are representing the United States in this case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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