Minnesota State Wire

Ronnie Bila Shaka, 44, was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for possessing firearms as a felon. The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court, with Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson announcing the outcome.

“Domestic abusers are among the most dangerous offenders we face,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.  “They prey on the very people they should protect and in doing so endanger their victims, police officers, and the community as a whole. When someone shows they are willing to terrorize their own family, they have forfeited their right to walk free. More than a decade in federal prison is exactly what this conduct deserves, and it should serve as a warning: we will not tolerate domestic violence and we will hold these offenders accountable before they can destroy more lives.”

According to court documents, police responded to Shaka’s residence on November 2, 2023, after receiving a report of a domestic dispute involving a firearm. Officers forced entry into the home where they found Shaka with his pregnant girlfriend and her baby. Authorities reported that Shaka threatened his girlfriend with an untraceable firearm known as a ghost gun to prevent her from leaving.

A search warrant led police to recover five firearms from safes near Shaka’s bed along with numerous magazines and ammunition. Two of these guns were Polymer 80 ghost guns without serial numbers and had been modified with machinegun conversion devices—commonly called “switches”—making them fully automatic weapons. Videos found on Shaka’s cell phone showed him firing these modified handguns outside his residence; text messages revealed he boasted about their power.

Shaka has an extensive criminal record including eight prior felony convictions and six previous convictions related to firearms offenses. His history of domestic violence-related crimes began at age 18 and includes multiple assaults, making threats of violence, and repeated violations of no-contact orders.

Senior U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson imposed the sentence following Shaka’s guilty plea, highlighting the danger posed by weapons equipped with switches: “they’re made to kill people.” The judge also cited evidence that Shaka threatened his girlfriend with a gun during the incident leading to his arrest, calling his actions toward her “unconscionable.”

The case resulted from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) alongside Robbinsdale Police Department, with support from Crystal Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth S. Shnider and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.