Man gets 10 years for gun beating

Wed., June 29, 2005

From staff reports

A 23-year-old Spokane man, who was convicted of using a gun to beat a woman, received a 10-year sentence in federal prison Tuesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Fremming Nielsen sentenced Shawn Anthony Willis to 120 months in federal prison after a jury convicted Willis in November of assault and of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Willis used the butt of his gun to beat a woman during an argument at an Airway Heights home, according to a press release by Project Safe Neighborhoods.

A Spokane County Sheriff’s Office dog found the gun which had been hidden under a plunger.

Following his arrest on a probation violation, Willis threatened the victim to discourage her from testifying, according to investigators. Willis also offered drugs to friends if they could convince the victim not to testify.

Willis has a previous felony conviction for a drive-by shooting and another conviction for rendering criminal assistance in another drive-by shooting, according to the release.

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