Muskegon Man Sentenced To 188 Months In Federal Prison For Repeatedly Possessing Firearms

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Dareese Devon Hewlett, 41, of Muskegon, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison after being convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

          “Mr. Hewlett is a serial offender who had demonstrated blatant disrespect for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “My office is committed to ridding our streets of guns in the hands of felons and illegal “switches” that pose grave danger to our communities by converting a firearm into a fully automatic machinegun.”

          Police caught Hewlett, a felon, with guns on three occasions. During the first incident, he shot at a man at a Muskegon memorial celebration. Police subsequently recovered the gun from Hewlett’s hotel room. There was a conversion device, or switch, attached, making the gun a fully automatic machinegun. Police found a second gun at defendant’s house.  Two months later, police found another gun and a bulletproof vest at Hewlett’s home.

          Hewlett’s sentence was increased pursuant to the Armed Career Criminal Act because he is a repeat offender. The Act provides for enhanced penalties for those who possess a firearm after being convicted of three or more serious drug offenses. Hewlett had previously been convicted of offenses involving the trafficking of narcotics; those offenses occurred in September 2010, June 2016, and April 2017.

          “Fostering cooperation by local, state, and federal agencies is paramount to develop and implement strategic approaches to reduce violent crime, particularly gun crimes,” said Muskegon Police Chief Timothy Kozal. “The City of Muskegon Police Department will continue to diligently investigate every violent crime, taking every opportunity to collaborate with our partner agencies to prosecute violent, serial offenders like Mr. Hewlett.”

          This case was investigated by the Muskegon Police Department, the Muskegon Heights Police Department, Michigan State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

          The 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.  

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