A Berkeley man, Rufus Rogers, age 45, has been handed a six-year federal prison term for having firearms and ammunition despite being a convicted felon. The sentencing comes on the heels of a guilty plea on charges that include one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of felon in possession of ammunition, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In the plea agreement, Rogers admitted to the unlawful possession, which came to a head when, on Feb. 17, 2023, he engaged in a confrontational episode outside an Oakland liquor store. Here, Rogers, armed with a loaded weapon, was involved in a verbal dispute that escalated when another individual fired a shot into the air, whereupon Rogers raised his gun and discharged three rounds. He also conceded to maintaining multiple firearms on or about Aug. 2, 2023, but the events leading to this disclosure were not immediately detailed in the public records.
The proceedings saw U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. overseeing the sentence, including three years of supervised release following incarceration. Furthermore, Rogers must forfeit his ownership interests in the implicated firearms and ammunition. After the sentence was passed, Rogers was taken into custody on Wednesday.
This legal outcome was announced by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and ATF Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani, signaling the close of an investigation spearheaded by ATF, which brought Rogers’s activities under scrutiny and ultimately before the law. The prosecution was carried out by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jillian Harvey with assistance from Amala James, and in providing details on the case, underscored the federal commitment to prosecuting firearm-related offenses especially when perpetrated by individuals with a criminal past. The primary source does not detail Rogers's defense or their perspective on the judgment.
