DETROIT – The man accused of making the straw purchase of the gun used to kill Detroit police Officer Loren Courts, appeared before a judge, where federal prosecutors made some damaging new claims.
Sheldon Thomas is accused of buying the Draco firearm that police say Ehmani Davis used to shoot and kill Courts.
Tuesday (July 26) afternoon, only Local 4 was in federal court to hear federal prosecutors lay out a devastating case that Thomas is an alleged serial straw purchaser of firearms as he has been allegedly flooding the streets with guns to put into the hands of others, officials say.
Prosecutors say text messages showed Thomas working with Davis for more than a year on buying firearms.
Officials say they have text exchanges dating back a year with Davis telling Thomas that he was robbed of a gun, had problems with someone, and urgently needed a weapon.
Thomas told Davis:
“I can always go get a gun.”
Prosecutors say it was illegal for Davis as a teen to buy a handgun, so he ordered a 9mm Glock from Thomas with hollow point bullets.
Officials say Thomas told Davis to have the cash ready at an Eastpointe gun shop or “It will make us look suspicious.”
“Trust me,” Davis said. “We will play it smooth.”
“Play it cool,” Thomas said.
Davis was arrested in Eastpointe on disorderly conduct charges in May of 2022. The moment he was released from jail, he told Thomas that he wanted him to buy him a cheaper gun than the 9mm.
Davis eventually used the Draco firearm in the shooting of Detroit police Officer Courts.
Read: Community pulls together to support Detroit police Officer Loren Courts’ family
Prosecutors say Thomas lied on the federal paperwork saying the gun was for him.
Seen in the video player above is Thomas meeting Davis at a White Castle parking lot with the gun.
Officials say text between Thomas and his girlfriend suggests Thomas was sending her into gun shops to buy guns to give to other people.
Read: Vigil held to honor fallen officer on Detroit’s west side
