A Davenport man, Ricky Edward Kirk, Jr., was sentenced on April 22 to 137 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon, according to an announcement by United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa.
Kirk, age 39, was apprehended after fleeing from officers during an attempted traffic stop in July 2024. During the foot chase, Kirk repeatedly reached toward a firearm concealed in his waistband before being subdued with a taser and falling to the ground. Officers recovered the firearm after it fell out of his waistband while he was being handcuffed. At the time of this offense, Kirk had multiple felony convictions and was on parole following a 2022 conviction for possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine in Scott County.
After serving his prison term, Kirk will be required to complete three years of supervised release. The federal system does not allow parole.
The case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa. The office supports victims and witnesses through its services unit according to its official website. It operates from facilities including those at Des Moines’ Neal Smith Federal Building as well as courthouses in Davenport and Council Bluffs according to its official website.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office functions under the United States Department of Justice according to its official website, handling both civil and criminal cases within the Southern District of Iowa according to its official website. The office employs 24 prosecutors who manage federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation on behalf of the United States while working closely with law enforcement agencies across Des Moines, Davenport, and Council Bluffs according to its official website.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which brings together law enforcement at all levels along with communities aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021 that focuses on fostering trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
