Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Godson Oghenebrume, a 22-year-old sprinter who previously achieved prominence as an NCAA champion and holds the fourth-fastest time in Nigeria’s history, is facing a significant legal challenge following his guilty plea to federal firearm possession charges. The case, handled by a multi-agency investigation, threatens to derail the promising career of the athlete.
According to information released by Track & Field Gazette and confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Oghenebrume was in the United States on a non-immigrant F-1 student visa when an incident in Baton Rouge on February 7, 2025, resulted in criminal charges. The situation began with a domestic dispute involving Oghenebrume’s ex-girlfriend, the mother of his child.
Upon their arrival at his apartment, the ex-girlfriend, accompanied by the child, instigated an argument. Oghenebrume, in response, discharged his firearm multiple times outside the apartment. Returning inside, he subsequently engaged in a second altercation when the ex-girlfriend opened the door to confront him and the young woman in the living room. The ensuing argument led to Oghenebrume firing the weapon again into the apartment wall.
Investigators subsequently discovered multiple bullet holes throughout the apartment complex. Oghenebrume confessed to the actions, claiming he fired the weapon to deter the ex-girlfriend. Following the shooting, he reportedly damaged the woman’s phone, took the child, and discarded the firearm into bushes before law enforcement apprehended him. A neighbor reported hearing the gunshots and describing the auditory impact.
The legal ramifications for Oghenebrume are substantial. He faces a potential maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, along with a fine potentially reaching $250,000. Additionally, he could be subject to up to three years of supervised release following any prison sentence.
The United States Attorney’s Office in Louisiana, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, is prosecuting the case under the direction of Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Lyman E. Thornton III. Deportation is also a possible outcome.
Oghenebrume’s brother, long jumper Ese Brume, also competes internationally. He arrived in the U.S. on a student visa in 2022. No sentencing date has been announced.