Birmingham, AL – In a shocking turn of events, 46-year-old Willie Lee Cooks has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. The incident dates back to April 4, 2016, when Cooks was arrested for driving a vehicle without a license plate and an outstanding felony warrant.
According to Cook’s plea agreement, a Glock 9mm pistol was found on the floorboard of the vehicle, loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine. At the time of the arrest, Cooks had several prior felony convictions.
The second incident occurred on August 30, 2016, when the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency task force approached Cooks’ Birmingham residence to arrest him on a warrant. However, Cooks barricaded himself and others in the house, prompting a standoff with a Birmingham Police SWAT team.
After negotiations failed, tear gas was deployed to get the occupants out of the house, and 31 firearms were found hidden in a crawl space under the house. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney L. James Weil Jr. prosecuted.
U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town expressed his sentiments on the sentencing, stating, ‘Cooks was a threat to the community, to his victims, and to law enforcement. Violent felons who possess firearms will not get diversion. They will not get probation. They will get a cell in the Bureau of Prisons.’
The sentence handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn is a stark reminder of the consequences of possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
Defendant: Willie Lee Cooks
Criminal Charges: Being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and multiple firearms
City and State: Birmingham, Alabama
Exact Date: April 4, 2016 (arrest) and August 30, 2016 (second incident)
Sentence: 10 years in prison
Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
