Michigan – A 32-year-old Michigan man has been ordered to serve 15 years in federal prison after a court determined he illegally possessed a firearm and posed a significant threat to the public. The sentence, the maximum allowed under the statute, was imposed by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney, who described the defendant as a very serious danger to the community.
Trial evidence showed the events began in April 2025, when the man’s girlfriend called 911 during a drive toward Lansing, saying she was being kidnapped. According to the Department of Justice, she was forced from a moving vehicle and dragged along the roadway on her knees. When a nearby resident tried to help, the driver, a Grand Rapids resident, returned holding a gun, forced the woman back into the car, and aimed the weapon at the neighbor before pulling the trigger. The firearm did not discharge.
Police later identified the suspect using the neighbor’s description and attempted a traffic stop. After a brief standoff, he fled with the injured woman still inside the vehicle, leading officers on a three-mile chase through Lansing at speeds that at times exceeded 90 miles per hour.
Following his arrest, officers retraced the pursuit route and recovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol discarded along the road. DNA found on the trigger matched the defendant, and the round in the chamber showed signs of a failed firing attempt.
Federal prosecutors said the violent sequence underscored the danger of armed repeat offenders.
“Maurice Ray Jr. is an ATF poster child of an individual 100% deserving of federal prosecution for their illegal possession of a firearm,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division.
“He illegally armed himself, kidnapped and assaulted his girlfriend, and then attempted to fire a gun at a neighbor who stepped in to help. The only explanation why this incident did not result in a murder is because that firearm malfunctioned. This sentence ensures an armed violent, career criminal is off the streets for 15 years. ATF will continue to work relentlessly with our partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute armed felons who threaten the safety of our community.”
Law enforcement officials credited cooperation between federal agents and local police for securing the conviction and removing what they described as an armed, career criminal from the streets for the next decade and a half.