Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – In connection with the U.S. Attorney’s Office continuing efforts to reduce violent crime through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich today announced the results of two sentencings in firearms-related cases.

• Terry Tremell Lomax, 30, of Las Vegas, was sentenced April 1, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in December 2018, to felon in possession of a firearm. On May 17, 2017, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop after Lomax committed a series of traffic infractions. In an attempt to flee and avoid the vehicle stop, Lomax sped through a red light, drove up onto a sidewalk, then stopped the car and fled on foot around a residence. During the foot pursuit, he threw a fully loaded .40 caliber handgun on the front porch of the house. Law enforcement was able to apprehend Lomax and they recovered his handgun. He has four prior felony convictions in Nevada, including battery with use of a deadly weapon, battery with use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

• Giuseppe Russo, 30, of Las Vegas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to five years and five months in prison and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm. On July 18, 2017, police attempted to stop Russo outside of a department store. While fleeing from law enforcement, he grabbed a 9mm handgun from his pants and rotated his body toward the officer who was in pursuit, aiming the weapon in the direction of the officer. The officer shot Russo and then administered first aid and called for medical assistance. Russo has three prior felony convictions in Nevada, including assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a felon. The prison sentence is to run concurrently with any sentence imposed in two separate state court cases. The case was investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.

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