ALBANY: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that Rontavis Davis, age 37, of Albany, Georgia, entered a guilty plea to the offense of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon before United States District Judge Leslie Abrams in Albany on September 4, 2018. This plea subjects Mr. Davis to possible maximum term of life imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.
At his plea hearing, Mr. Davis admitted that on February 5, 2018, officers initiated a lawful traffic stop on a Chevrolet Cobalt in the 500 block of Clark Avenue in Albany, Georgia, because the driver of the car, Rontavis Davis, was not wearing his seatbelt. Upon making contact with Mr. Davis, officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from within the car. Based on this odor, officers removed Davis from the car and began to search it. Officers advised Mr. Davis that he was being temporarily detained while the search was being conducted and asked him if there was any contraband or dangerous items on his person or in the vehicle. Mr. Davis stated that there was a digital scale in his pocket and a.45 caliber handgun on his front seat under a jacket.
Agents searched Mr. Davis and his car and located a loaded Colt.45 handgun, a small bag of cocaine, two jars of marijuana, and a digital scale. As officers found these items, Mr. Davis spontaneous stated, “You don’t have to keep looking, you found everything I had." On March 22, 2018, agents advised Mr. Davis of his Miranda rights. Mr. Davis waived his Miranda rights and admitted that he had purchased the gun on the street for $100.
Mr. Davis is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a gun as a result. His previous convictions include (1) Theft by Receiving Stolen Property and Forgery; (2) Child Molestation; (3) Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, (4) Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; (5) Possession of Cocaine; (6) Failure to Register as a Sex Offender; and (7) Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The case was investigated by the Albany Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah E. McEwen is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
