Nigerian sprinter Oghenebrume sentenced to 27 months in jail, faces deportation from US

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A United States federal court has sentenced 23-year-old Nigerian sprinter Godson Oghenebrume to 27 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm.

Oghenebrume, residing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced following his conviction for possession of a firearm by an alien admitted to the United States under a non-immigrant visa.

The United States Attorney, Kurt L. Wall, announced the development in a statement issued by the Department of Justice on June 30, 2026.

Upon the completion of his prison term, the athlete will face immediate deportation from the United States.

According to admissions made during his plea bargain, Oghenebrume was found in possession of a Glock model 43X, 9mm pistol on February 7, 2025, while staying in the country under a non-immigrant F-1 student visa.

Official court complaints revealed that on the night of the incident, Oghenebrume was inside his apartment with a young woman when his ex-girlfriend, who is also the mother of his infant child, arrived with the baby.

Oghenebrume went outside to meet them, where a heated argument ensued. During the dispute, and in the presence of the infant, the sprinter discharged the firearm before walking back inside. Shortly after, the ex-girlfriend opened the apartment door, leading to a second confrontation that spilled outside the building.

As the mother fled with the baby, Oghenebrume fired the weapon multiple times, leaving visible bullet holes in the walls of the apartment complex. He subsequently smashed his ex-girlfriend’s mobile phone and seized the infant.

The mother then approached the other young woman, who was attempting to leave the premises, and begged for assistance. The woman agreed and successfully retrieved the child from Oghenebrume.

When deputies from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, Oghenebrume ignored their commands, walked away, and threw the handgun into nearby shrubs. He was detained by law enforcement officials shortly afterwards.

During a post-Miranda interview with detectives, Oghenebrume admitted to firing the weapon, claiming he only did so to scare his ex-girlfriend away so she would return home.

U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Lyman E. Thornton III led the prosecution.