Cheyenne Man Sentenced to 88 Months for Gun Crime

A 52-year-old Cheyenne man has been sentenced to 88 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, the United States Attorney's Office announced Friday.

According to arrest records, police were dispatched to an apartment in the 1800 block of Rainbow Road at 2:24 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2023, for a "shots fired" disturbance.

Police arrived on the scene and began to investigate, and learned that Juan Manuel Miranda was inside the apartment when an unidentified White male started knocking on the front door.

After several minutes of knocking, Miranda reportedly answered the door and talked with the male.

Miranda then reportedly pulled a black semi-automatic pistol from his waistband and fired a round in the direction of the male, then left with a female in a 2007 silver Pontiac Grand Prix.

Miranda was arrested at 3:15 p.m. following a police chase that began on East Lincolnway just east of Ridge Road and ended at East Lincolnway and Hot Springs Avenue.

Police later located a black 9mm Taurus G3, which Miranda had tossed out his car during the chase, in the 2400 block of East Lincolnway.

Police say the pistol had 13 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, all of which matched the spent casing they found in front of the apartment.

A review of Miranda's criminal history showed that he was disqualified from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Police say he also had several multiple felony convictions from California, Colorado, and Wyoming.

Miranda was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on Jan. 10, 2024, and pleaded guilty on May 28, 2024.

Miranda will be subject to three years of supervised release once he is released from prison.

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'An Excellent Example of Agencies Coming Together'

"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," Heimann added. "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 Cheyenne Police Chief Mark Francisco. “We’re proud that this collaboration resulted in a successful prosecution.”