A man from Lakeland, Georgia, has been sentenced to over ten years in federal prison after being found with a stolen firearm during a traffic stop that led to a car crash. Ricky Hill, 39, received a sentence of 130 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentencing was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on January 29. Hill pleaded guilty on October 1, 2025, to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Federal sentences do not allow for parole.
U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes stated, “Convicted felons with violent criminal histories who are caught with illegal firearms will be prosecuted federally, where there is no parole. We are working with law enforcement at every level to identify and prosecute repeat offenders with stolen guns.”
ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka said, "This case underscores our commitment to ensuring that individuals with violent criminal histories face the full force of the law. We will not allow convicted felons to jeopardize public safety with illegal firearms.”
Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan added, “We are grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office for their steadfast partnership and persistence in cases like this one. Their commitment to pursuing federal charges against violent offenders who are illegally in possession of firearms, sends a clear message that this type of dangerous behavior will not be tolerated in our community. Working together, we are holding individuals accountable and making our neighborhoods safer for the families we serve.”
According to court records and statements made in court, Hill was stopped by Valdosta Police on September 16, 2024, for driving without headlights or taillights at night on East Hill Avenue. He did not have a driver’s license and began reaching under his seat while claiming he was looking for his phone. The officer noticed a firearm magazine on the passenger seat and instructed Hill to stop reaching under his seat and exit the vehicle. Instead, Hill drove away from the stop but crashed into a utility pole before fleeing on foot. Officers apprehended him shortly after.
Police found a stolen Glock handgun under the front seat where Hill had been reaching during the stop as well as an extended magazine loaded with 35 rounds of ammunition and $2,565 either inside the car or on Hill himself. Records show that Hill has previous felony convictions for aggravated assault and distributing cocaine; federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the Valdosta Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative coordinated by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration as well as dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations through resources from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
