An Augusta man was indicted for illegally possessing a machine gun and several other area men face charges for illegal gun possession in U.S. District Court for the Southern District.
Antonio Rodriquez Holmes, III, 30, of Augusta is charged with illegal possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, said keeping firearms out of the hands of felons remains a priority for her office.
“As we continue to see the proliferation of illegal guns converted to fully automatic fire, we commend our law enforcement partners for acting to contain this threat to our neighborhoods,” she said.
Other defendants under indictment for or recently sentenced on illegal gun charges include:
- Luke Bunyun Jr., 46, of Waynesboro, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Keyeon Demar Tykeim Smith, 23, of Augusta, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment.
- Brodrick Kyle Merritt, 42, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. An armed career criminal. Merritt was found with a pistol during a traffic stop while on state probation and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, the statement said.
- Scottie Eugene Bryant, 48, of Grovetown, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Grovetown police officers searched Bryant’s residence and seized multiple firearms in April 2023.
