Cedar Rapids man will serve 21 years for gun charge

CEDAR RAPIDS - A 40-year-old Cedar Rapids man with a violent criminal history was sentenced Thursday in federal court for a gun conviction that qualified him as armed career criminal and turned 15 into 21 years in prison.

Donald Boman was convicted by a jury in April for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to trial testimony, Boman got into an argument with Marcus Brown and told him to leave his home. Boman followed Brown across the street, knocked him to the ground and shot at him. Brown wasn't wounded.

Boman told police Brown had threatened to assault others and shoot his house earlier in the day and he fired in self-defense, according to testimony. Brown didn't have a weapon.

According to court records, charges initially were filed in state court, but they were dismissed, so charges could be filed in federal court, where Boman faced more prison time based on his previous convictions.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C.J. Williams asked the court for an sentencing enhancement based on the gun charge and his prior violent crimes, which also involved guns and qualify him as an armed career criminal. Williams said there was no evidence the shooting was in self-defense or in defense of another.

Christopher Nathan, Boman's attorney, argued that Brown had assaulted Boman's wife's daughter and her son. Jaime Cooper, Boman's common-law wife, testified Brown was dangerous, but she never witnessed the assaults her daughter and grandson claimed Brown committed. Cooper said Brown beat her daughter more than once.

Cooper also testified that Boman had post-traumatic stress disorder and took medication.

Williams also argued Boman had two 1992 convictions involving a firearm during robberies in Colorado.

He robbed one man at gunpoint, told the victim to run and then he shot at him. An hour and a half later, he pointed a handgun at another victim and demanded money. After he took $20, he placed the gun at the victim's head and demanded more. Boman started to walk away but then shot at the victim.

Williams said Boman's third conviction was an assault in 1995 when he started a fight in prison.

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade said the three convictions qualified under the statute. She said the Brown's actions didn't cause Boman's actions, and Bowman could have left the scene or called police.

Reade said her sentence was based on the seriousness nature and circumstances of the crime. She said Boman has a 'violent background, is a recidivist and his criminal behavior is escalating.”