Illegal firearms possession results in federal prison sentences for three men in separate casesArticle

SAVANNAH, Georgia: Federal prison sentences have been ordered in federal court for illegal possession of a firearm and one for possessing a machinegun.Sentences were handed down in U.S. District Court and were announced by Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Margaret E. “Meg” Heap.

They include:Michael Rice, 37, of Dublin, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and a $1,500 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In October 2024, Rice was found to be in possession of a .38 caliber pistol in Laurens County.Chauncey Lavon Feby, 20, of Augusta, was sentenced to 71 months in prison and a $1,500 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machinegun. In November 2024 in Richmond County, Feby was found with a Glock Model 45, 9 mm pistol which had been modified with an auto sear, converting the pistol into a fully automatic machinegun. Josue Gutierrez, 31, of Lawrenceville, was sentenced to 64 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

In September 2024, Gutierrez was found to be in possession of multiple firearms during a traffic stop in Atkinson County by Georgia State Patrol.There is no parole in the federal system. Under federal law, it is prohibited for previously convicted felons to possess firearms or ammunition.“We will continue to support our law enforcement partners in their efforts to remove these dangerous weapons from the streets and to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “The U.S.

Attorney’s Office remains committed to hold accountable those that unlawfully possess these lethal weapons.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Dublin Police Department, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol assisted in the investigation of these cases, which were prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Kyle Davis, Jennifer Kirkland, L. Alexander Hamner and Kelsey Scanlon.