United States v. Damion Hallmon

── United States v. Damion Hallmon ── Court: Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Date: April 24, 2026 Category: General United States Court of Appeals For the Eighth Circuit ___________________________ No. 24-1837 ___________________________ United States of America Plaintiff - Appellee v. Damion Kent Hallmon, also known as Damion Kent Adam L. Hallmon, also known as Damion Kale Hallmon, also known as Damien Kent Hallmon, also known as Damion Kent Hallman, also known as Damion Kale Hallman, also known as Dee X, also known as Daniel K. Tanner, also known as Marcus Jamaine Wallace, also known as Damion K. Williams Defendant - Appellant ____________ Appeal from United States District Court for the District of Minnesota ____________ Submitted: May 14, 2025 Filed: April 24, 2026 ____________ Before BENTON, KELLY, and GRASZ, Circuit Judges. ___________ GRASZ, Circuit Judge. A jury found Damion Kent Hallmon guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). The district court1 sentenced Hallmon to 74 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Hallmon appeals, claiming the district court erred by denying his pretrial motions to suppress evidence and statements, determining there was sufficient evidence that the ammunition traveled in interstate commerce, excluding recorded jail phone calls, and imposing an offense level enhancement for obstruction of justice. Hallmon also argues his charge and conviction violate the Second Amendment. We affirm. I. Background On August 28, 2022, Officer LeBaron of the Bloomington, Minnesota Police Department saw a suspended object hanging from the rearview mirror of a vehicle, in violation of Minnesota law. Officer LeBaron then ran a license plate query on the vehicle and discovered its registered owner, Hallmon, had a suspended driver’s license. Officer LeBaron visually confirmed Hallmon was driving the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Shortly after, Officer Witt joined Officer LeBaron. At the time of the stop, the vehicle had four occupants: Hallmon, Ieisha McGrone, and their two children. Hallmon identified McGrone as his fiancée. After stating the reasons for the traffic stop, Officer LeBaron instructed Hallmon to exit the vehicle. While Hallmon exited, Officer LeBaron observed a bag that appeared to contain marijuana on the floorboard. Officer LeBaron grabbed the bag and remarked it smelled like marijuana. Hallmon agreed. Officer LeBaron then asked Hallmon if there was other drug paraphernalia in the car. Hallmon answered there might be some marijuana in the ashtray. Consequently, Officer LeBaron decided to 1 The Honorable Katherine M. Menendez, United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota. -2- search the vehicle and instructed the passengers to exit. As McGrone and the children left the car, Hallmon told McGrone to grab her handbag, which was sitting in the front passenger seat, but Officer LeBaron told her to leave it. During the search, Officer LeBaron opened the handbag and found a loaded pistol. 2 After securing and unloading the pistol, Officer LeBaron spoke to McGrone about the firearm. McGrone eventually told Officer LeBaron the firearm belonged to Hallmon, and that he gave it to her. Officer LeBaron then spoke to Hallmon. Hallmon stated he was “taking the fall” for the firearm and that the firearm was his. Hallmon correctly identified the color and caliber of the firearm, and explained he handed it to McGrone during th