MEMPHIS, Tennessee – A Memphis man will spend 10 years in federal prison for shooting up his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle with a gun he took from her without permission, the Memphis Police Department said.
A judge sentenced 40-year-old Ronnie Dobson to 10 years, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty in the federal case.
Shooting on Elm Park Road
Officers responded to a shooting in the 3600 block of Elm Park Road around 10:30 p.m. on April 13, 2025. They found multiple bullet holes in the victim’s vehicle.
Investigators identified the victim’s ex-boyfriend, Dobson, as the person responsible. They determined he had taken the victim’s firearm without her permission and used it in the shooting.
Police arrested Dobson and charged him with aggravated assault, theft of property (a firearm) and domestic assault.
Case moves to federal court
Police later referred the case to the department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Unit for possible federal prosecution. According to MPD, the unit reviews every shooting and act of gun violence reported in the city. The review helps investigators pick out cases that may qualify for federal charges and carry significant prison sentences.
Prosecutors filed a federal criminal complaint on April 30, 2026. A formal indictment followed on May 6, 2026. Dobson later pleaded guilty.
The source did not say when the judge handed down the sentence.
In its statement, MPD said violence has consequences that can reach well beyond an initial arrest. The department said it will keep working with federal law enforcement partners to pursue cases against violent offenders.
