Wilbur Zaccaeus Hightower, Possession of a Machine Gun, Georgia 2023

SAVANNAH, GA – A wave of federal firearms prosecutions is hitting the Southern District of Georgia, with four new indictments handed down this month and several defendants recently sentenced to lengthy prison terms. The crackdown, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), aims to curb violent crime by targeting convicted felons illegally possessing firearms.

U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg stated, “Guns in the hands of convicted felons present a danger to the community,” underscoring the agency’s aggressive stance. Over the past four years, more than 800 individuals in the district have faced federal firearms charges, most commonly for possessing a firearm after a prior felony conviction – a crime punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison with no parole.

Among those recently indicted are Wilbur Zaccaeus Hightower, 43, of Blackshear, Ga., facing charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Machine Gun, specifically a pistol modified with an illegal “Glock switch.” Also indicted were Hunter W. Taylor, 25, of Hephzibah, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm (a short barrel rifle); Joshua Bowser, 28, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; and Zytavious Beck, 26, of Dublin, Ga., also charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

The courtroom has also seen recent sentencing. Melvin Jamarcus Lanier, 42, of Statesboro, received a 60-month prison sentence and a $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Statesboro police discovered the pistol during a January 2021 traffic stop. Demmerio Swint, 29, of Augusta, was sentenced to 15 months behind bars for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, following a November 2021 traffic stop where officers found two pistols – one in his pocket, one in the vehicle.

The web of illegal gun activity extends beyond simple possession. Nygeria Tasheema Brown, 32, of Savannah, received three years’ probation and a $1,000 fine for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, admitting to helping Javonte Deshawn Washington, 30, of Savannah, buy a pistol despite knowing Washington was a convicted felon. Washington is currently serving a 44-month federal prison term after pleading guilty to Straw Purchase of a Firearm. Garden City police connected the pair when responding to reports of Washington brandishing the weapon at motorists.

Rounding out the recent cases, Tekayo Spencer, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 32 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, stemming from a June 2022 arrest during a domestic dispute investigation. Caleb Earl Riggs, 38, of Claxton, Ga., received a 24-month sentence and a $1,500 fine for the same charge, one of 32 defendants indicted last October as part of a larger operation. These prosecutions are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

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