VALDOSTA, Ga. – Maurice A. Ridley, a 47-year-old Moultrie resident with a history of armed robbery, was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm by a federal jury on May 14.
Ridley, who was previously convicted of armed robbery in 1996 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine.
“It is illegal for convicted felons to possess firearms, and a repeat offender caught with a loaded gun will face federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement at every level and across the Middle District of Georgia is working to reduce violent crime and make our communities safer.”
The case began on February 21, 2020, when Moultrie Police Department officers observed Ridley paying close attention to marked police vehicles as they drove by him. Officers in an unmarked vehicle then witnessed Ridley toss a plastic bag of suspected narcotics in a yard before fleeing on foot, leaving behind a loaded semi-automatic handgun with an obliterated serial number.
According to court documents, Ridley was convicted in 1996 for armed robbery in Colquitt County, Georgia, Superior Court. The firearm found on Ridley was a clear violation of federal law prohibiting convicted felons from possessing firearms.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by bringing together law enforcement and community members. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government.
The FBI and Moultrie Police Department investigated the case, which marks another success for Project Safe Neighborhoods, a joint effort to reduce violent crime in Moultrie and throughout the state.
“The Moultrie Police Department is pleased to once again join with our federal partners to make our city streets a little safer,” said Moultrie Police Chief Chad L. Castleberry. “Project Safe Neighborhoods has been an overwhelming success, and we are extremely proud to contribute to that success with our own FBI Task Force Officer, Captain Steve Exum.”
Related Federal Cases
- Convicted Felon Maurice Ridley Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm · Georgia
- Bridgeport Gun Trafficker Brannon Winston Sentenced to 40 Months · Georgia
- Felony Fugitive Convicted for Punching Cop, Gun Possession · Georgia
- Felons Caught with Guns and Drugs in Georgia Bust · Georgia
- Brooklyn Gun Runner Tony Terry Charged in Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy · Georgia
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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