Charlie Sapp, a 58-year-old resident of Savannah, has been sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in federal prison for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Randal Hall after Sapp was convicted at trial, according to Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Sapp will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and pay a $1,500 fine. Federal law does not allow parole.
“This prosecution should send a clear message to those that violate the law in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap. “This office will work tirelessly to ensure the community is protected from violent felons.”
Court documents show that on October 8, 2021, Sapp retrieved a loaded firearm from a vehicle and confronted an individual in an apartment complex parking lot. He pointed the firearm at the individual and fired three shots, resulting in that person’s death at the scene. While officers with the Savannah Police Department did not recover the weapon used in the shooting, they found two shell casings at the location. These were sufficient evidence for conviction in federal court.
Due to prior felony convictions in Chatham County Superior Court, Sapp was legally barred from possessing ammunition.
At sentencing, Judge Hall accepted prosecutors’ request to enhance Sapp’s sentence based on conduct amounting to second-degree murder linked to his illegal possession of ammunition.
Sapp had previously faced trial for this incident in November 2022 under charges brought by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office but was not convicted at that time.
“Every bullet represents a potential threat to public safety; we will continue to work diligently to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
The case was investigated by agents from ATF and Savannah Police Department and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.