Charles Harmon Porter, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. The announcement was made by Margaret E. Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
According to court documents and statements made during sentencing, Porter, who has prior felony convictions for offenses such as terroristic threats, possession of cocaine, and obstruction of law enforcement, was involved in a domestic dispute on May 29, 2023. During the incident at his Alma Street residence in Savannah, Porter shot his female roommate with a handgun. After the shooting, he fled the scene and discarded the firearm at an unknown location.
Officers from the Savannah Police Department responded promptly and identified Porter as the suspect. He was located at another residence in Savannah and taken into custody within hours. During booking at Chatham County jail, officers found a single round of ammunition in Porter's pocket. An examination by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) determined that the ammunition had been manufactured outside Georgia. This finding led to federal charges since it is illegal for convicted felons to possess ammunition that has crossed state lines.
Porter pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. At his September 4 sentencing hearing, prosecutors presented evidence that linked Porter's possession of the round directly to the shooting incident; the court concluded this constituted attempted murder.
“The sentencing of Charles Harmon Porter reaffirms that this office will vigorously prosecute violent criminals who illegally possess firearms or ammunition down to the very last bullet as part of our commitment to public safety. We wish the victim the best in her continued recovery,” said U.S. Attorney Heap.
"Every bullet represents a potential threat to public safety; we will continue to work diligently to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands," said Acting ASAC Robert Davis.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Savannah Police Department personnel. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy P. Dean prosecuted the case.
A related aggravated assault charge against Porter remains pending in Chatham County Superior Court.
