Repeat Offender Arrested with 14 Firearms Sentenced in Project Safe Neighborhoods Case

MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history who was found illegally in possession of 14 firearms and ammunition was sentenced to prison for his crime.

Devon Antonio Futrell, 28, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 46 months imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III presided over the sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Repeat felons have no business illegally possessing one gun, let alone fourteen,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office—alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement—is working to enforce federal law and hold repeat offenders guilty of illegally possessing guns accountable.”

According to court documents, Futrell was stopped by a Georgia State Patrol trooper for running a red light and failing to maintain his lane on Feb. 21, 2021, in Macon. Futrell was carrying a handgun and told the Trooper that he had it “for a while.” Law enforcement did not realize that Futrell was a convicted felon at that time, and he was released with the gun and traffic citations. The incident was reported to ATF, who determined that Futrell had four felony convictions in North Carolina, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, altering or removing a serial number from a gun, malicious conduct by a prisoner and breaking and entering an aircraft or trailer. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. ATF agents executed a search warrant on Futrell’s residence and found 14 firearms, including a .556 caliber semi-automatic rifle, as well as ammunition.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case was investigated by the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case for the Government.