COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus man who admitted to firing several shots at a vehicle in a Topgolf parking lot after getting into an argument was sentenced by a federal judge to 10 years in prison.
Davon Rayford, 28, received his sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty in May to possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substances and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
The shooting occurred in February 2023 at the Topgolf facility near the Polaris shopping complex in Columbus, prosecutors say. Rayford went to the Topgolf with several other people, but at about 4:30 p.m. became involved in an altercation with them, prosecutors say.
Rayford went to his vehicle and took out a 9mm Glock pistol, then fired several shots at the people he was arguing with while they were in their vehicle, prosecutors say. The parking lot was full of other customers, authorities say, but there were no reports of injuries.
“Escalating to gun violence is never the answer,” U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker said in a statement. “People should be free to go about their daily lives and visit local businesses without fear. This case shows that if you break federal firearms laws and endanger others, you could face significant time in federal prison.”
Rayford left the parking lot, but a special duty officer was at the Topgolf and collected the shell casings. Surveillance video cameras recorded the shooting, prosecutors say.
Rayford was involved in a car crash the next day while intoxicated and tried to leave the scene, prosecutors say. Police arrived and arrested Rayford. Officers reportedly found methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and Xanax, the Glock 9mm pistol and $5,000 in cash.
Rayford currently is serving a sentence in a state prison after being convicted in October 2023 of escape, failure to comply, and two counts of possession of drugs. His state sentence will conclude in August 2026, but he then must serve his federal sentence.