Desmond Lamar Divine has had enough youthful brushes with the law to learn from his mistakes.
But, on Monday, a federal judge sentenced the 21-year-old Fresno resident to four years and three months in prison, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced in a news release.
According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2021, after Divine was approached by police officers, he fled on a scooter, dropping a loaded handgun. At the time, Divine was on parole and had prior felony convictions that prohibit him from having guns.
Related Story: Porterville Man Who Tried to Kill Cops Gets Life Sentence
Thirty months earlier, Fresno police arrested Divine, who is an alleged gang member, after responding to a disturbance in southwest Fresno. Officers found him with a 22 caliber carbine, which is classified as an assault weapon, along with a shotgun and another .22 rifle.
Fresno PD, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger was the prosecutor.
