Nigerian Athlete Oghenebrume Faces 15 Years Jail Time Over Firearm Possession In U.S.

A 22-year-old Nigerian track and field athlete residing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Godson Oghenebrume, has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by an alien admitted to the United States under a non-immigrant visa.

The plea was made before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall in a statement released by the Department of Justice on December 3, 2025.

Naija News reports that as a result of his guilty plea, Oghenebrume faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. There is also the possibility of deportation after serving his sentence.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) outlined the details of the incident that led to the charges against Oghenebrume.

On February 7, 2025, Oghenebrume discharged a firearm during an argument with his ex-girlfriend while in the presence of their infant child. The incident escalated when the ex-girlfriend followed him into his apartment, and more shots were fired as the argument continued.

The DOJ’s statement described how the confrontation spiralled further, with Oghenebrume later smashing his ex-girlfriend’s phone and taking their child before deputies arrived at the scene.

When law enforcement officials arrived at the scene, Oghenebrume reportedly walked away from them, ignored their commands, and discarded the firearm, later identified as a Glock model 43X, 9mm pistol, into some shrubs. Deputies detained him soon after.

Oghenebrume later admitted to detectives that he fired the weapon in an attempt to scare his ex-girlfriend away.

The Firearm Possession Charge

According to the DOJ, Oghenebrume possessed the Glock 43X pistol while in the United States on a non-immigrant F-1 student visa. The firearm discharge occurred during an argument with his ex-girlfriend, who is also the mother of his infant child.

The situation escalated when Oghenebrume’s ex-girlfriend entered his apartment and observed him with another woman. The argument continued outside, and more shots were fired as the ex-girlfriend fled.

The DOJ’s statement explained, “During this argument, and while the baby was present, Oghenebrume discharged the firearm. Oghenebrume then went back into his apartment. However, sometime thereafter, Oghenebrume’s ex-girlfriend opened his apartment door, observed Oghenebrume and the other young woman in the living room, and she and Oghenebrume began to argue. That argument spilt out of the apartment, and Oghenebrume discharged the firearm more times as the mother of his child fled.”

The incident was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Lyman E. Thornton III.

This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at eliminating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organisations, and reducing violent crime in communities across the United States.

Oghenebrume, who is the brother of Olympic bronze medalist Ese Brume, was admitted to Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2021.

His athletic career, however, has been overshadowed by the legal troubles resulting from the incident on February 7, 2025.