Cheyenne felon sentenced for being in possession of a firearm

Juan Manuel Miranda, 52, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on Aug. 21, to 88 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Oct. 31, 2023, Cheyenne Police Department officers responded to the 1800 block of Rainbow Road for a "shots fired" disturbance. Witnesses said that Miranda shot at an unknown male and then drove away. Officers pursued Miranda and during the pursuit, he threw a pistol out of his vehicle into the driveway of a business. Miranda eventually stopped his car, and officers arrested him. Officers later recovered the 9mm pistol that Miranda had tossed out of his car. A criminal history report indicated Miranda is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Miranda was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on Jan. 10, 2023, and pleaded guilty on May 28. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the 88-month sentence.

"The Justice Department is committed to reducing violent crime by aggressively prosecuting violent criminals who illegally possess guns," said Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann. "This case shows how federal, state, and local law enforcement in Wyoming can work together to win a significant prison sentence against a violent felon, and make the Cheyenne community safer. We thank the Cheyenne Police Department and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation for their good work, and for referring this case to the U.S. Attorney's Office for federal prosecution."

"This is an excellent example of agencies coming together to protect our Wyoming communities," said Chief Mark Francisco. "We're proud that this collaboration resulted in a successful prosecution."

This crime was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Criminal Division Chief Nicole Romine with the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Case No. 24-CR-00011

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.