Montgomery, Alabama - On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Derek Antoine Hamel, a 28-year-old man from Auburn, Alabama, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Following his prison sentence, Hamel will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on Sept. 11, 2019, Kelley was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a Ruger, model LC9, 9mm pistol. Because he had a previous felony conviction, he was prohibited from possessing the firearm. The allegation in the indictment was based on an encounter Hamel had on Sept. 12, 2018 when Auburn police officers responded to a disturbance call. Hamel pleaded guilty to the charge on February 6, 2020. Related state charges are still pending.
In pronouncing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks stated that Hamel’s possession of the firearm, knowing that he was a convicted felon, showed a lack of respect for the law. She also stated that using the gun during the incident to intimidate others showed a disregard for their safety, as well as his own.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Auburn Police Division investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Bates and Alice LaCour prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
