Phenix City Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

            Montgomery, Alabama – On November 19, 2019, Charles Nicholas Pybus, 36, of Phenix City, Alabama, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Following his prison sentence of nearly six years, he will be subject to three years of supervised release.

            According to court records, on January 7, 2018, Pybus followed a woman through the parking lot of a home improvement store in Montgomery. After she finished loading her purchases, she got into her car to leave. Pybus then entered through the front passenger door and told her to “drive.” Although he did not brandish a weapon, she feared for her safety and ran from the vehicle. At this point, Pybus drove away in her car and was later spotted by officers from the Montgomery Police Department. Pybus initially fled from police, but was soon apprehended at a residence and found to be in possession of a handgun. Having a previous felony conviction, Pybus is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.

            The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Montgomery Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Wendell prosecuted the case.