PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland man who once avoided prison on a gun charge after evidence was suppressed is heading back behind bars. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon sentenced 33-year-old Te’Ondre Antonio Bonner to a year and a day in prison after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Judge Recalls Past Leniency
Judge Simon told Bonner he remembered him from 2019, when prosecutors were forced to drop a gun case after Simon granted a motion to suppress evidence. “You got lucky,” the judge said, noting that just a year later, Bonner was once again found with a firearm.
That earlier ruling allowed Bonner to avoid a lengthy prison term. This time, Simon made it clear he was troubled by Bonner’s repeated behavior.
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Prosecutors Cite Gang Ties and Social Media
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Sax argued that Bonner was a longtime member of the Rolling 60s Crips and an active drug dealer. Prosecutors presented screenshots from Bonner’s social media accounts showing him with stacks of cash and what appeared to be multiple firearms.
Sax also pointed to text messages in which Bonner discussed selling “powder,” as well as cocaine residue discovered during a 2021 raid at a girlfriend’s apartment in Vancouver. He urged the court to impose a sentence longer than two years, arguing Bonner’s possession of the FN Herstal pistol was linked to other criminal activity.
The prosecutor further noted that Bonner had survived being shot seven times in three separate incidents, describing him as “deeply enmeshed in a dangerous lifestyle.”
Defense Pushes Back
Defense attorney Jamie Kilberg dismissed the government’s claims as “uncharged and unproven suspicions.” He argued there was no evidence the firearms shown in Bonner’s videos were real, pointing out that many aspiring rappers use airsoft or BB guns as props to cultivate a tough image online.
At the time, Bonner performed under the rap persona “Stuey Bone.” Kilberg said his client had since turned his life around, working as a long-haul truck driver and distancing himself from his former gang life.
“The government has not put on any evidence that these are even firearms,” Kilberg said. “This is speculation dressed up as fact.”
Bonner Speaks for Himself
When given the chance to address the judge, Bonner acknowledged his past but emphasized his desire to change.
“I accept responsibility for the conviction,” he said. “But the guy I’m getting painted as is not me. My assurance is my children. I don’t want to ever be taken away from them again.”
In a letter to the court, Bonner reflected on his past mistakes and his determination to be a better father:
“Everything changed the day I truly looked at my children and realized they were watching me, learning from me. I couldn’t stay stuck in that life if I wanted to give them something better.”
The Sentence
Judge Simon rejected the prosecutor’s push for a harsher penalty but also denied the defense’s request for partial home confinement. He sentenced Bonner to a year and a day in federal prison, noting that with credit for good behavior, Bonner will likely serve about 10 months.
“You have another chance,” Simon told him. “Don’t squander it.”
Bonner is scheduled to surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service on December 4, 2025.
