GRAND RAPIDS, MI — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, announced today that Dontrell Nance, 25, of Benton Harbor, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Nance’s sentence comes as a result of his involvement in a kidnapping and for brandishing a firearm during a violent crime.
Totten emphasized the gravity of gun violence, which he described as a national epidemic. He highlighted the effective actions of law enforcement which prevented 123 handguns from entering the community, a move that helped mitigate further violence and trauma.
Nance, along with his brother and co-defendant Darnell Bishop, orchestrated a theft that involved kidnapping the manager of Dunham’s Sports from his home. The siblings forced the manager to disclose the alarm code, facilitating the theft of 123 pistols, which were later found in two large coolers.
All the stolen firearms have been successfully recovered by law enforcement. Darnell Bishop, who also faces charges for kidnapping and brandishing a firearm, entered a guilty plea earlier this month. His sentencing is scheduled for October 25.
Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, lauded the collaborative efforts of the Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force and other agencies. Gibson credited the swift response of law enforcement with preventing potential harm and stressed the importance of teamwork in tackling such critical incidents.
