OAKLAND — A Bay Area man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for having a gun that was found in his car after he allegedly crashed into two cars in Berkeley while drunk behind the wheel.
The sentence for David Clayton Conerly, 48, was handed down on March 31 by Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, court records show. Prosecutors say that in February 2025, Conerly crashed his car in a Berkeley neighborhood, tried to walk away from the scene, struck an officer in the head, then gave a fake name to police.
Authorities found a gun that had been reported “lost or stolen” in the car, as well as a several ounces of marijuana, some hydrocodone pills, and a half-full bottle of gin, prosecutors said in court records. Conerly had five prior criminal convictions, including one that led to a 10-year prison sentence, and wasn’t allowed to possess guns, court records show. He pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A defense sentencing memo says Conerly suffered numerous traumas growing up during the “crack epidemic,” including “parental neglect, domestic violence and substance abuse by parental figures, poverty, (and) community violence. It says that he witnessed the 2004 killing of his cousin, Mario “Tip Toe” Jackson, and “screamed for help and tried to revive his cousin,” causing “major trauma.” More recently, he took advantage of volunteer opportunities In recent years, including by coaching youth football in the Berkeley neighborhood he grew up in.
“David has expressed deep remorse for the harm he has caused and takes responsibility for his actions, recognizing the lasting impact on others,” a defense sentencing memo says. “Looking ahead, David has set meaningful goals for life beyond incarceration.”