United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced today that Cory Ellis Easley, 40, of Fayette, Missouri, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose to 10 years imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm, the statutory maximum for the offense. The judge ordered that Easley pay a $100 special assessment, undergo 3 years of supervised release, and pay restitution totaling $8,501.88.
On September 7, 2015, Saraland police officers went to a home in Chunchula, Alabama to investigate the theft of a vehicle. While heading there, an officer witnessed a truck matching the description of the stolen vehicle being driven recklessly. The officer saw the truck drive behind a home. The officer went down the driveway and saw a white male run from the truck and into a large garage. The officer heard several gun shots come from inside the building towards him. The officer took cover and waited for backup. Within a minute, backup arrived and took cover next to the first officer on scene. Officers heard another shot being fired from the garage. They then heard what appeared to be a tractor start up. Moments later, they heard a loud banging noise and believed that the suspect was ramming the tractor in the back of the building. The tractor then burst through the door. The first officer on scene heard the suspect yell: “Leave me alone!" The suspect fired another shot. A backup officer saw a black gun in the suspect’s right hand as he drove away. The suspect drove the tractor into a wooded area. The officers heard 3 more shots from the woods. Officers from the Saraland Police Department and the Mobile County Sherriff’s Office went looking for the suspect and eventually found him hiding in a mud hole. A K9 was sent to apprehend the suspect, who was later identified as Easley. Officers found a loaded Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the mud between Easley’s legs. During the incident, Easley caused extensive damage to various properties in the neighborhood.
Easley is a convicted felon who is prohibited from knowingly possessing a firearm. He has numerous felony convictions for drug, theft, and assault offenses. Easley was indicted in October 2015 by a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama on 1 count of being a felon in possession. He pleaded guilty to the offense on Jan. 19, 2016.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Saraland Police Department, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sinan Kalayoglu.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
