Two men with prior felony convictions have been sentenced to federal prison for firearms offenses, according to an April 3 announcement by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The sentencing of Herman Lamont Dessasure and Darvin Prest Morris highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement and prosecutors to address gun violence involving individuals prohibited from possessing firearms.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood found that Dessasure, 43, of Savannah, qualified as an armed career criminal due to at least three previous violent felony convictions. He received a sentence of 170 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. Morris, 41, of Ludowici, was sentenced to 110 months in prison with a $1,000 fine and three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our commitment to safe communities means absolutely no tolerance for convicted felons carrying guns,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “If you’re prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a history of committing crimes, we’ll work with our law enforcement partners to take you off the streets.”
Dessasure was arrested in November 2021 after security at Oglethorpe Mall noticed what appeared to be a firearm under his shirt and contacted police who discovered a pistol tucked into his waistband. His prior felony convictions made it illegal for him to possess any firearms.
Morris was indicted following an April 2021 incident where he drove through someone’s yard in McIntosh County while brandishing a firearm and firing multiple shots; local residents detained him until police arrived. He had previously been convicted federally for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Makeia R. Jonese and John P. Harper III along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Olsen prosecuted both cases.
