The Federal Grand Jury for the Southern District of Georgia indicted three men from the Augusta area on firearms charges.
The three local men were William Thomas Nealous III, 30, of Martinez, who also faces a possession of methamphetamine charge as well as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Two Augusta men, Julian Theophilus Moffett, 39, and Robert Kenneth Williams, 32, were also indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The cases against the men were part of an investigation by the Department of Justice initiative that targets illegal firearms and in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives and local law enforcement agencies.
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Two Augustans recently were sentenced after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. They are Dominique Johnson, 32, and Ivan Hughes, 35. Johnson received a sentence of 60 months in prison, a $1,500 fine, and three years of supervised release once his prison term is complete. Hughes received a sentence of 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
“Getting illegally possessed firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is a high priority of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “This collaborative effort to enforce existing law makes our streets safer.”
In the past three years, more than 650 defendants have faced federal charges in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for carrying a firearm after having been convicted of a previous felony. The charge carries a penalty upon conviction of up to 10 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
Criminal indictments are not an indication of guilt. Defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty under the U.S. Constitution.
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