An Arapahoe man who shot another man over a dispute about a song on the radio has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Ronald Blaise Jenkins, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 20 on his conviction on a charge of using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, five years of supervised release with special conditions and was ordered to pay $1,357 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.
“This case exemplifies why it is important to keep guns out of reach when drinking,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Murray. “Alcohol impairs judgement, and, in this case, a simple argument escalated to the point of one friend shooting another friend. I can unequivocally say, this would not have happened had the pair not been drinking. We appreciate the work of our partners at the Wind River Police Department and the Riverton Police Department who helped investigate the case.”
Jenkins was initially charged in May in U.S. District Court with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He pleaded guilty to the charge in October.
According to an affidavit filed by Bureau of Indian Affairs special agent Michael Shockley, his investigation into the shooting of a man identified only as “W.S.” revealed that the incident stemmed from a disagreement over a song on the radio while he and Jenkins were in a truck in January 2021.
W.S. had been riding in a pickup truck with three other men, including Jenkins, drinking alcohol and listening to music on the radio.
Two of the men in the truck said W.S. and Jenkins began arguing about a song on the radio and then prepared to fight over the issue.
At that point, Jenkins shot W.S.
Jenkins told investigators W.S. had played a song on the radio he did not like and the two began arguing.
He said W.S. got out of the back seat of the pickup truck, opened the door to the seat where Jenkins was sitting and punched him in the face.
Jenkins said he had broken his neck several years earlier and the attack made him afraid for his life. He said he found a gun on the floor of the pickup truck and was pointing it at W.S. when “it just went off.”
W.S., meanwhile, told investigators he did not remember what the argument was about, but that both he and Jenkins got out of the truck and were preparing to fight when Jenkins pulled a pistol out.
The victim said he charged Jenkins in an attempt to take the pistol away from him, but was unsuccessful and Jenkins fired.
The affidavit said W.S. was helped into the emergency room at SageWest Hospital in Riverton by two men who left him there.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department, with assistance from the Riverton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case.
