Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges.
“With our law enforcement partners, we continue the work of removing firearms from the hands of those who can’t legally possess them – especially those convicted of prior felonies,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “This effort is a vital step in reducing gun violence in our communities.” The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.Those indicted during the February term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:
- Daveon Daniels, 25, of Grovetown, Ga., charged with Illegal Possession of a Machinegun and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.Matthew Lacey, 26, of Savannah, is charged in a superseding indictment with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He originally was indicted on the same charge in November 2023 and the superseding indictment adds enhanced penalties; and,Justin Anthony Brown, 32, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Two Savannah men also were named in a recently unsealed January indictment: Jacerio Maurice Famble, 35, and Aaron Jamonta Bennett, 32, are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Psilocyn and Marijuana, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Psilocyn and Marijuana. Famble also is charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:
- Jonathan Duncan, 38, of Savannah, sentenced to 64 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol and drugs in Duncan’s vehicle during a November 2022 traffic stop. As noted in his guilty plea, Duncan has a prior state conviction for illegal gun possession.Keith Ponsell, 34, of Jesup, Ga., sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. A Georgia State Patrol trooper found an illegal “pen” gun in Ponsell’s pocket during a traffic stop in Jesup in June 2022.William Zaccaeus Hightower, 24, of Blackshear, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana, and Possession of a Machinegun. Pierce County sheriff’s deputies found a pistol and drugs in Hightower’s vehicle after an attempted traffic stop in May 2022 ended with Hightower striking a police vehicle and crashing. ATF agents determined the Glock 9mm pistol in Hightower’s possession was fitted with a device rendering it fully automatic.Christopher David Baskett, 46, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County sheriff’s deputies arrested Baskett in September 2020 while investigating reports of gunfire in downtown Augusta. After an initial confrontation, deputies located a pistol in Baskett’s vehicle. Baskett has a prior conviction for voluntary manslaughter in South Carolina.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.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; illegal alien; or 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.
This is a press release from the US Attorney’s Office.
