STATESBORO, GA: A Statesboro man arrested after a shooting on a residential street has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison while still facing state charges.
Courtney Raynard Spann, 29, of Statesboro, was sentenced to 96 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Spann also was ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Previously convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition - period,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Courtney Spann’s record makes it abundantly clear why these laws are in place, and our office will relentlessly enforce these laws to keep firearms out of the hands of violent criminals.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Spann came to the attention of officers from the Statesboro Police Department who were investigating reports of gunfire in a high-density residential area on Jan. 25, 2020, that resulted in damage to multiple homes and vehicles. Spann was located and later arrested, and officers found four firearms, including assault-style weapons, along with multiple rounds of ammunition, extended magazines and drum magazines in his vehicle.
Investigators also determined that Spann is a member of the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang, with a criminal history that includes a felony conviction for drug trafficking. He faces additional state charges related to the incident that led to his arrest.
“Keeping guns out of the hands of repeat felony offenders is a priority for the FBI because of offenders like Spann,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “But we couldn't do it without the partnerships with our fellow local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, in particular in this case, the Statesboro Police Department.”
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Statesboro Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Stanley and Tara M. Lyons.