SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges.
"Reducing violent crime in our communities requires a collaborative effort with our law enforcement partners to remove illegally possessed firearms from our streets," said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. "Active prosecution of these cases also discourages others from illegally using guns."
Among those indicted during the April term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury are individuals such as Lial Stephens, Cornelius Denzel Butler, Raquan Williams, Keith Javon Johnson, Richard Bruce Salyer Jr., Eddie Robertson, and O’kere Shields, each facing charges related to illegal possession of firearms and drug offenses.
Defendants who have recently been adjudicated on federal firearms charges include individuals like Jacques B. Pope, Karron L. Shuman, Dennis Mitchell, Jakobian Sentell Jones, Zanuck Lorenzo Berry, Othnell Christian Ferguson, Robert Antonio Green, Desirae Heinsler, Tamarcus Antonio Heard, Michael Jerome Germany, Arthur Eugene Cannon, Thomas Allen Gordon, Jarrett Lamar Knight, and Matthew Lacey.
The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with various law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crime by targeting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia is handling the prosecution of these cases, emphasizing the importance of enforcing federal laws that prohibit individuals from possessing firearms under certain conditions and using firearms in connection with criminal activities.
Under federal law, it is illegal for individuals to possess firearms in certain circumstances, such as being a felon or involved in drug trafficking. The prosecution of these cases serves as a deterrent to others who may consider illegally using guns.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, the public is encouraged to visit the ATF website at https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473.