Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man has been found guilty at trial for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person following an October 2021 shooting.
Charlie Sapp, 58, of Savannah, was convicted after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court on the charge of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects the Defendant to 10 years imprisonment, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
As described at trial, on October 8, 2021, Sapp pointed a firearm at another individual and pulled the trigger three times. An eyewitness to the shooting immediately called 911. Savannah Police Department officers responded within five minutes and located two 9mm Luger shell casings at the scene. An expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives analyzed the shell casings and determined they qualified as ammunition under federal law and that they were not manufactured in the State of Georgia, making this a federal crime. The United States was able to prove that the shell casings found at the crime scene were fired from the firearm Sapp used during the shooting. Sapp was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County.
Sapp was previously tried for this conduct in November 2022 by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. That trial did not result in a conviction.
ATF Acting ASAC Robert Davis stated, “Our commitment to public safety is unwavering. The prosecution of individuals who unlawfully possess firearms and ammunition is critical in our efforts to reduce gun violence in our communities.”
“This is a win for all law enforcement involved,” said Lenny B. Gunther, Savannah Chief of Police. “I would like to especially thank the men and women of the ATF for their hard work and diligence in this case.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.
The case was being investigated by the ATF, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.