Thirteen area felons were recently charged or await sentencing for illegal possession of firearms.
The cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative done in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI as well as the Burke, Columbia and Richmond County sheriff’s offices. The intent is to reduce violent crime through measures that include getting guns out of the hands of convicted felons, according to a news release.
“Convicted felons illegally carrying firearms are significantly involved in violent crime plaguing our communities,” said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to make our streets safer by putting such people behind bars.”
More than 800 defendants have faced federal charges in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses, most often owning a gun after a felony conviction, the release stated. Recent federal legislation increased the maximum penalty illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon to 15 years, up from 10, for those found in possession after June 25, 2022, it said.
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Defendants named in federal indictments from the January term of the U.S. District Court grand jury include:
Robert Sanders, 65, of Augusta, charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Tony Lavardo Blount Jr., 32, of Augusta, charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Terrance Webster Dunn, 32, of Augusta, charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
In addition, the following defendants have recently pleaded guilty to federal charges that include firearms possession:
James Wayne Cooper Jr., 37, of Waynesboro, was sentenced to 44 months in prison and fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Cooper fled from Burke County Sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop and they found a loaded pistol in his vehicle.
Cody Truitt Devore, 24, of Sylvania, Ga., was sentenced to 32 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Devore was on federally supervised release from a prior firearms conviction in January 2022 when Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop and found two rifles in his vehicle.
Christopher Donnell Crumbley, 34, of Waynesboro, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Burke County sheriff’s deputies arrested Crumbley on outstanding criminal warrants in Dec. 2021 and found three pistols in his possession.
Dontrell Kydreek Mathis, 30, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found two pistols in Mathis’ vehicle after a traffic stop in August.
Trevor Elijah Walker, 24, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Richmond County deputies were attempting to serve arrest warrants on Walker in November 2019 when he ran away, dropping a pistol as he fled.
Windsor Hodge, 64, of Martinez, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Columbia County deputies searched Hodge’s residence on a warrant in January 2022 and found 13 firearms. Hodge previously was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Deontre Hubert, 28, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hubert had a pistol in his waistband last June when pulled over by Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies for a traffic violation. He previously was convicted in state court of involuntary manslaughter, a felony.
Marshall Lee Cushman, 39, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent retrieved a rifle from an Avera residence in September 2021, and Cushman admitted leaving the gun there. Cushman has multiple prior felony convictions.
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Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, an illegal alien or the unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473
