A US district judge in Cape Girardeau Thursday sentenced a convicted felon from Sikeston to 14 years in prison for pointing a gun at a police officer.
According to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office, 27 year old Ruben R. Ramirez pleaded guilty in August to one felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Ramirez admitted as part of his plea that an officer with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety was responding to a reported burglary back in March, when he spotted Ramirez walking away. Ramirez raised a .22-caliber pistol and pointed it at the officer before dropping the gun when the officer drew his own firearm.
In a later interview, Ramirez said he tried to fire the pistol because he wanted the officer to kill him, but his gun jammed.
Ramirez has a prior conviction for unlawful use of a weapon in a 2021 case in New Madrid County Circuit Court.