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Columbus Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Stolen Firearm
A Columbus man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a stolen firearm. Brian Doswell, 26, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land.
The charges against Doswell stem from an incident on Aug. 11, 2020, when Columbus Police Department (CPD) officers were patrolling the area of River Rd. and 50th St. in Columbus. Officers observed a vehicle driven by Doswell make an improper left turn and were aware that Doswell had fled from police the day before and was involved in drug trafficking.
Given the flight risk, an officer activated emergency lights and positioned his patrol car in front of the car driven by Doswell to prevent Doswell from fleeing. Additional CPD officers then approached the car. Doswell rolled up his window, drove his car forward almost striking the officers, then reversed his vehicle striking the car behind him. He then fled, and a car chase ensued. A short while later, Doswell lost control and crashed into a tree.
During the search of the vehicle, officers spotted a 9mm pistol on the driver’s side floorboard in plain view and a clear bag containing suspected drugs. A search of the vehicle uncovered a semi-automatic pistol in the arm rest and a semi-automatic rifle in the back seat. In addition, quantities of methamphetamine and other illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia including a digital scale and clear baggies were found.
Doswell knew that the semi-automatic pistol in his possession was stolen. The 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams prosecuted the case for the Government. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Columbus Police Department.
“The defendant put himself, police officers and bystanders in significant danger when he attempted to outrun law enforcement—notwithstanding the fact that he was a wanted person in possession of an illegal semi-automatic weapon,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary.
“Our office, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold criminals accountable and do what we can to decrease instances of violent crime and havoc in Columbus,” said Leary.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods continues to be a cornerstone of ATF’s strategy to fight violent crime,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt. “By partnering with local law enforcement, we can remove violent criminals who have no respect for the law and support the brave men and women of law enforcement who risk their lives daily to keep our community safe.”
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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