An Iowa City man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on firearm possession charges related to the death of a 3-year-old child on April 17, according to a press release by the Southern District of Iowa U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

On July 3, 2022, Chris Gordon, a 34-year-old two-time convicted felon, possessed a stolen and loaded pistol in an apartment in Iowa City. Court documents and evidence presented at sentencing revealed that a 3-year-old child staying at the apartment fatally shot themselves with the pistol while Gordon slept, according to the press release.

Gordon was awakened by the gunshot and left the apartment with his pistol after seeing the injured child. Weeks later, Gordon’s pistol was found on the roof of a building with the serial numbers scratched off. 

Gordon was arrested on July 24, 2022. He was found to be in possession of another weapon, a loaded Polymer80 nine-millimeter handgun, at the time of his arrest.

Polymer80, a company specializing in gun kits and accessories, does not sell fully assembled firearms. Guns assembled from their kits are often called “ghost guns” because they lack serial numbers, making them untraceable by law enforcement.

The case was investigated by the Coralville Police Department and Division of Criminal Investigation. 

According to Iowa court records, Gordon was charged with one count of Dominion/Control of Firearm/Offensive Weapon by Felon, a class D felony, and one count of Person Ineligible to Carry Dangerous Weapons, a serious misdemeanor, on July 24.

Iowa court records also indicate that Gordon was charged with two counts of Dominion/Control of Firearm/Offensive Weapon by Felon for the July 3 incident. State charges against Gordon were dismissed by the court, and the case was taken over by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Iowa.

He was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison on April 17. Gordon’s sentence includes three years of supervised release following his prison term. The federal system does not allow a parole option.