Lorain County Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

ELYRIA, OH — An Elyria man was sentenced to a decade in prison for illegally having a gun.

Joshua T. Grant, 28, was sentenced to a maximum term of 10 years in prison by Judge John R. Adams. Grant previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a person with a prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.

“We have no tolerance for domestic violence offenders who possess and use firearms illegally,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This sentence, the maximum allowable under federal law, sends an appropriate message to those who stand convicted of domestic violence offenses, even misdemeanors: if you illegally possess or use a gun, you will be held accountable and your next stop is not weeks or months in county jail, but a decade in federal prison.”

On Sept. 7, 2019, Elyria police were sent to a home on Portia Court. Callers said they heard gunfire in the area.

When officers arrived, they found blood on the kitchen floor and a person with a gunshot wound to the chest, court documents said. The person was flown to University Hospitals in Cleveland for treatment.

Grant, the victim's boyfriend, was taken into custody by police a half-mile from the home. Prosecutors said he was found running away from the house. Grant had a loaded semiautomatic .380 caliber pistol in his pocket, court documents said.

Prosecutors said a gunshot residue test revealed Grant had gunpowder on his hands. Witnesses of the shooting said Grant shot his girlfriend in the chest and then ran, court documents revealed.

Grant was barred from owning a gun because he was previously convicted of felonious assault in 2016 and domestic violence in 2013.

“This is another example of how a great working relationship between local and federal agencies can benefit all involved,” Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitley said. “The real winners in this are the citizens of Elyria. I want thank the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their help with difficult situations.”