Local man get 4 to 8 years in prison for drive-by shooting
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POCATELLO — A man who pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm at an occupied home has been sentenced to prison.
Christopher Lee Simpkins, 28, pleaded guilty to the felony charge after reaching a plea agreement with the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office. In exchange, felony charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of attempted intimidation of a witness were dismissed.
At a hearing Monday, Simpkins was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of four years and up to eight years in prison by District Judge Rick Carnaroli.
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Simpkins was arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting at a Pocatello home that occurred in June.
Officers who responded to the call found that five people were inside the home when several shots were fired. One of the shots struck a TV, which, police believe, prevented the bullet from hitting a juvenile who was on the opposite side of the wall from the TV.
Before receiving a 911 call reporting the shooting, officers patrolling the area saw a vehicle speeding away from the scene but did not pursue as they were en route to the city fueling station. It was later determined that the speeding vehicle was the one used by Simpkins in the shooting.