Federal judge keeps Cedar Rapids man in jail pending gun charges

CEDAR RAPIDS – A 22-year-old Cedar Rapids man, who has a record of gun violence that started at age 16 when he fired multiple shots at a 14-year-old, will remain in jail pending a firearm trial in federal court.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Roberts said Thursday the criminal history of Malachi Free Patton Handley for his age was “troubling.” Handley had a charge of carrying weapons as teen, and then picked up felony convictions for willful injury and going armed with intent in state court, as well as parole violations and assaultive behavior while in prison for those charges.

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Roberts said the evidence seems to be strong in the current offense -- possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a stolen firearm. In this incident, marijuana was also found, along with a stolen 9 mm firearm in Handley’s vehicle.

Handley was indicted in U.S. District Court earlier this month after incidents from Dec. 1, 2022, and March 4 of this year.

Marion Police Officer Jamie Arnold, also a member of the FBI Safe Street Task Force, testified during a detention hearing Thursday that a friend of Handley’s said Handley met him in Dec. 1, 2022 , and took one of his 9 mm guns and pointed it at him, and then took another gun from him.

Arnold said the friend then refused to cooperate with police, saying he was afraid of retaliation from Handley. No arrest was made at that time.

On March 4, police conducted a traffic stop on Handley’s car and officers smelled marijuana, Arnold said. Officers found a small amount of marijuana in the center console, along with a 9 mm gun that was stolen from the friend.

On cross examination at the hearing, Christopher Nathan, Handley’s lawyer, suggested the friend may not have been eligible to carry firearms and told a story of retaliation to take the heat off him.

Arnold said he didn’t have any information on the friend or his criminal record.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Reinert argued that Handley is a flight risk and a danger to the community based on his violent history. He also noted that Handley’s parole was revoked in 2021 but released in 2022 -- shortly before the gun robbery incident.

Nathan argued the court could impose conditions for pretrial release and said that Handley’s grandmother, who was at the hearing, would let him live with her during his release. Handey’s mother and aunt also attended the hearing.

Nathan also noted that Handley’s probation and parole officer and Tony Wilson, who has been working with Handley through the Group Violence Intervention program – an outreach program to reduce gun violence - were both in court to support Handley.

But Roberts said he could impose no conditions that would keep the community safe and Handley would remain in jail pending trial. His trial is set for Oct. 23.

Previous convictions

Handley, at age 17, was convicted in Linn County District Court in 2018 for willful injury causing serious injury, willful injury causing bodily injury, going armed with intent and carrying a concealed weapon. He originally had been charged with attempted murder.

During a plea, Handley admitted shooting a 14-year-old boy March 11, 2017, as the teen was leaving the Maytag Laundromat, 220 16th St. NE. He also admitted to having a gun.

A criminal complaint stated a security surveillance video and witnesses identified Handley as firing at the boy, who had gunshot wounds to his back and right leg. Several people were inside the laundromat at the time but no others were injured.

Handley was sentenced to 10 years but paroled after serving about four years.

In July 2017, 6th Judicial District Judge Mary Chicchelly detailed Handley's previous juvenile delinquencies - convictions - in ruling that his case would stay in adult court.

It started in 2015 with a case of assault with bodily injury, and then two more offenses in 2016. In one incident, he was fighting with others during a festival and became “combative” with police officers as they attempted to restrain him. One officer was injured by him. In 2017, Handley was at a Jefferson High School basketball game, waving a gun around in the parking lot as students and others were leaving, according to Chicchelly’s ruling.

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