Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

FRESNO, Calif. — Spencer Manning, 28, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Oct. 13, 2021, Manning was inside a Bakersfield grocery store when loss prevention staff observed him placing store merchandise into his backpack. Staff tried to detain Manning as he exited the store, but Manning forcibly resisted. During the struggle, staff removed Manning’s backpack and discovered inside stolen merchandise and a Glock 23, .40 caliber handgun, loaded with a 30-round magazine containing 25 rounds of live ammunition, that was later determined to have been stolen. Manning may not lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because in 2015 he was convicted of two counts of obstruction and resisting arrest.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.