A Seattle man with known gang ties was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 101 months in prison following his conviction at trial for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
Jimmy Gene Miller, 29, was arrested on June 13, 2013 after Seattle Police responded to reports of a beating behind a nightclub in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Miller was convicted following a three day jury trial. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said Miller had continued a pattern of “violence and drug dealing that had gone on for many years,” and he noted the danger “of bringing a firearm into a public arena.”
“Too many youths in our community are lost to the lure of gangs and the violence they breed,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “This defendant, barely six months out of prison, thought he could rule the streets through violence and intimidation.
He guessed wrong. I commend the FBI and Seattle Police Department for their quick work on this case, and bringing him to justice.”
“Seattle embraces diverse groups and people working together for the community, not those trying to rip it apart,” said Special Agent in Charge Frank Montoya, Jr. of the FBI’s Seattle Division. “It is imperative that people like Jimmy Gene Miller face justice for their heinous violence. The FBI will continually stand with the Seattle Police Department against gangs, against criminals, and against those who attempt to bring violence to our streets.”
According to records in the case and testimony at trial, Miller encountered a rival gang member at ‘The Garage,’ a bar/pool hall/bowling alley on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Miller flashed a firearm in the waistband of his pants as he took the victim out the alley door of the nightclub. In the alley Miller assaulted the victim. Portions of the assault were captured on surveillance video. The victim was found stripped naked and beaten. The surveillance cameras photographed Miller jumping into the passenger seat of a distinctive black Camaro. Seattle Police moved quickly after getting reports on the assault, locating the car a few miles from the club. Miller and his associates were found nearby. The victim’s wallet was found in the front passenger seat. A court-authorized search of the car revealed a .40 caliber Glock pistol in the glove compartment in front of where Miller had been sitting. Text messages introduced at trial revealed Miller discussing an extended magazine for the semi-automatic weapon with an associate in the weeks before the assault.
Miller was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s comprehensive and strategic approach to gun law enforcement. In King County the close partnerships between federal, state and local prosecutors and law enforcement allows these programs to be effective and enhances public safety.
The case was investigated by the FBI Seattle Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of the FBI, Seattle Police Department, and other law enforcement partners. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vince Lombardi and Jerrod Patterson.
