An Oakland man has been sentenced to just shy of six years in federal prison following his guilty plea for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Michael Tatum, 35, will face 70 months behind bars, as decreed by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case against Tatum stemmed from a search of his residence back in February 2022, where law enforcement officials discovered five loaded firearms, including two assault rifle-style firearms, and a substantial amount of ammunition. Additionally, according to the press release, $148,531.05 in cash was seized from Tatum's home. With this arsenal, Tatum also had a prior felony conviction, compounding his legal woes.
Following his guilty plea on January 23, 2024, Tatum's sentence also includes a three-year term of supervised release after completing his prison time, starting from July 22. Furthermore, Judge White has ordered the forfeiture of all firearms, ammunition, and the seized cash that was found in Tatum's possession.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, alongside Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, announced the sentencing. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Dahlke and Charles Bisesto with assistance from Laurie Worthen and Amala James. "The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI and California Highway Patrol," as outlined by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
