Charlie Sapp, a 58-year-old resident of Savannah, has been sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in federal prison for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Randal Hall following Sapp's conviction at trial. In addition to the prison term, Sapp will serve three years of supervised release and pay a $1,500 fine. Federal law does not allow parole.
U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap commented on the sentencing: “This prosecution should send a clear message to those that violate the law in the Southern District of Georgia. This office will work tirelessly to ensure the community is protected from violent felons.”
Court documents indicate that on October 8, 2021, Sapp retrieved a loaded firearm from a vehicle at an apartment complex parking lot, confronted another individual, pointed the weapon at them, and fired three shots. The victim died at the scene. Although police did not recover the firearm used in the incident, they found two shell casings which were sufficient for federal prosecutors to secure a conviction against Sapp. He was barred from possessing ammunition due to previous felony convictions in Chatham County Superior Court.
At sentencing, Judge Hall accepted the government's request for an enhanced sentence because Sapp's actions constituted second-degree murder under federal guidelines.
Sapp had previously faced trial for this conduct in November 2022 through the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office; that trial ended without a conviction.
ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis stated: “Every bullet represents a potential threat to public safety; we will continue to work diligently to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.”
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Savannah Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura prosecuted the case.
