SAVANNAH, GA – Michael Levant Williams, 36, of Savannah, is trading his delusions of grandeur for nine years in a federal prison cell. The self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 110 months for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The verdict, delivered after a mere 15 minutes of jury deliberation following a two-day trial, proves that claiming exemption from the law doesn’t actually *grant* exemption.
U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine didn’t mince words. “Michael Williams ludicrously claims that the laws of the United States don’t apply to him,” he stated. “His phony legal status won’t keep him from being held accountable for violating those laws, and his sentence should warn any other play-acting ‘sovereign citizens’ to abandon such legalistic charades.” Williams’ attempt at self-representation, fueled by the fringe “sovereign citizen” ideology, clearly failed to sway the jury.
The case unfolded after Savannah Police officers pulled Williams over for a traffic violation on November 22, 2018. A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed a firearm – a prohibited item for a man already convicted on a federal felony charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. The past came back to haunt Williams in the form of cold, hard steel and federal law. Following his prison term, Williams will also be subject to three years of supervised release, ensuring continued oversight.
This isn’t the first time the Southern District of Georgia has dealt with the “sovereign citizen” nonsense this year. An Augusta man received a 25-year sentence in January for using similar fraudulent legal filings to target federal officials. The pattern is clear: these attempts to evade justice are not only baseless but carry severe consequences. These individuals aren’t above the law; they’re simply delusional and facing the repercussions of their actions.
Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), underscored the danger posed by illegally possessed firearms. “This case involves an illegally possessed firearm in the hands of a criminal,” Kolodka said. “It demonstrates the cooperation that exists between Savannah Police Department and ATF.” The collaborative effort brought a dangerous individual to justice and removed another weapon from the streets.
The investigation was a joint effort between the ATF and the Savannah Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Bearden and Karl Knoche prosecuting the case for the United States. There’s no parole in the federal system, meaning Williams will serve the full nine years – a stark reminder that attempting to rewrite the rules of the legal system will only land you further in trouble. The Grimy Times will continue to track federal cases and expose the underbelly of crime across the nation.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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