SAVANNAH, GA – The Southern District of Georgia has announced new felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, alongside convictions and pending sentences for several defendants on federal gun charges. This action underscores the persistent challenge law enforcement faces with illegally possessed firearms, including those illegally modified for fully automatic fire, according to U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg.
These cases are part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a collaborative effort with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies aimed at reducing violent crime by targeting illegal gun possession among convicted felons.
Among those indicted are Jacorey Rivers, charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a machine gun, and intent to distribute a significant quantity of Fentanyl; Christopher Michael Owens, Robert Michael Waltz, and Juan Carlos Rosado Morla, facing various drug trafficking charges. Garland D. Williams, James Timothy Johnson, and Christopher Jeramy Blair have also been charged with crimes related to illegal firearm possession and drug distribution.
Recent sentences for federal firearms charges include Chester Morgan, sentenced to 46 months in prison, and Wesley Rosenberg, who received a 20-month sentence and a fine for engaging in the firearms business without a license. Defendants Isaac C. Brown, Joshua Bowser, Kenneth Oliver Riley, Brian Wesley Dean, Jose Miguel Marrero, and Jacqueline Christmas await sentencing on similar charges.
These prosecutions are part of a broader federal strategy to enforce laws prohibiting firearm possession by individuals in certain prohibited categories and to curb the illegal purchase and distribution of firearms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia is spearheading these efforts to address and mitigate gun-related crimes and violence.