Detroit man who bought gun used in fatal shooting of Detroit officer deemed continued threat
Sheldon Thomas knew Ehmani Davis shouldn't be "f----- with," yet he is now facing charges for buying Davis a firearm — the same weapon that was used in the fatal shooting of a Detroit police officer last week.
This knowledge of Davis' violent tendencies was the basis of a district court magistrate judge's ruling to place Thomas in detention while he awaits a probable cause preliminary hearing later this month. Despite Thomas' court-appointed attorney's attempts to point to his clean record, the court decided against placing him on a tether, finding he poses a continued threat to the safety of the community.
Thomas was charged with illegally buying the Draco semiautomatic pistol for 19-year-old Davis, who is accused of killing Detroit police officer Loren Courts in a shootout Wednesday. Davis was also killed during the incident.
More: Feds charge Detroit man with illegally buying gun used in DPD officer's killing
Authorities charge that Thomas, 26, pretended to buy the firearm for himself and then transferred it to Davis, and committed a federal crime by lying on the transaction forms when he used the wrong address and phone number.
"Thomas took a knowing risk by purchasing a firearm for a person he knew was not to be 'f----- with,'" Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Lanning said in court Tuesday, referring to what Thomas said during an interview with a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Thomas told investigators that after giving Davis the firearm, he told him, "Don't do nothing f------ stupid because my name is on it," according to the criminal complaint filed Sunday.
Lanning argued that the June 7 firearm purchase was not a "single lapse in judgment," rather it was a continued choice over the course of several months, as Thomas attempted to secure a gun for Davis on multiple occasions, but was not immediately approved through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
More: Slain Detroit police officer's parents: Loren Courts was a hero, family man
"He has proven that the law does not stop him," Lanning said. "He's a danger because he's willing to help others commit crimes."
Although the federal government could not prove that Thomas has other firearms in his possession as the criminal investigation is ongoing, the absence of a comprehensive national gun registry that could prove otherwise bolstered the court's ruling to place Thomas in detention.
Thomas' attorney, Leon Parker, spoke of his client's clean record and strong family ties and said that any mention of other firearms without evidence is speculation. The purchase, put in the context of Thomas' record, is an isolated incident, Parker said.
However, in his ruling, Magistrate Judge Jonathan Grey said Thomas had multiple instances where he could have changed his mind and that a tether would not stop him from purchasing more firearms and arming others.
"You knew that Davis had some issues, that he was not to be 'f----- with,'" Grey said, referring to Davis' criminal history that includes a misdemeanor weapons charge and a pending misdemeanor disturbing the peace case from May that was scheduled for a pretrial hearing July 8.
While Grey was delivering his ruling, Thomas interrupted and begged for permission to speak. Thomas was later allowed to speak but chose not to.
Thomas' mother, who attended the hearing with three of his siblings, loudly sobbed and was rocking side to side.
"While you have a clean record, your words belie a person that throws caution to the wind," Grey said. "Your judgment has proved to be terrible."
Thomas is due back in court July 25 for a preliminary probable cause hearing.
Contact Miriam Marini: mmarini@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit man who bought gun used in officer's shooting to be held in detention
