SAVANNAH, GA – The streets of South Georgia are seeing a renewed crackdown on illegal firearms and narcotics, with six new indictments and several recent sentencings highlighting the ongoing battle against violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, is targeting convicted felons allegedly continuing criminal enterprises, and the results are piling up in federal court.
Leading the charge is Ricky Rich, 41, of East Dublin, Ga., facing a mountain of charges: four counts of Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl; three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. If convicted on all counts, Rich faces a substantial prison sentence. Also indicted were Othnell Christian Ferguson, 27, of Pembroke, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Jamal Brashad Hawkins, 20, of Swainsboro, Ga., also charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Jamario D. Owens, 24, of Savannah, similarly charged; Keith Alan Scorza, 53, of Savannah, facing False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person due to a domestic violence protective order; and Pedro Walker, 24, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
These indictments are part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime by focusing on individuals illegally possessing firearms. U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg stated that removing these weapons from the hands of convicted felons is “key” to improving community safety. But the cases don’t stop at indictments. Several defendants have already felt the weight of federal justice.
Reginald General Jackson, 36, of Savannah, received a hefty 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Police discovered Jackson with multiple pistols while responding to a call at a Savannah motel in June 2022, where he was refusing to vacate his room. Tony Lavardo Blount Jr., 32, of Augusta, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and a $1,500 fine for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County deputies arrested Blount after a foot chase when he allegedly pulled a pistol during a domestic violence call in Grovetown.
The sentences continue to mount. Calvin Lomont Powell Jr., 22, of Waynesboro, Ga., is facing 41 months behind bars and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. State troopers discovered a pistol, drugs, and cash in Powell’s car during a June 2022 traffic stop. And Derrick Drurell Long, 32, of Augusta, will spend 56 months in federal prison and pay a $1,500 fine after a guilty plea to the same charge. These convictions, with no parole available in the federal system, send a clear message: illegally possessing firearms after a felony conviction carries serious consequences.
Over the past five years, the Southern District of Georgia has prosecuted over 800 defendants for firearms offenses, primarily for possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction. This aggressive prosecution strategy, combined with collaborative efforts from federal, state, and local law enforcement, aims to disrupt the cycle of violence and keep guns out of the hands of those legally prohibited from owning them. The Grimy Times will continue to follow these cases as they progress through the federal court system.
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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