ALBANY: A man from Coffee County who had a violent criminal history was given a prison term for illegally carrying a gun during a car pursuit that ended in the parking lot of a police agency.
On October 3, 2023, Bryan Everal Pittman, 33, of Fargo entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Judge Louis Sands of the United States District Court sentenced Pittman to 110 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Pittman cannot be released on parole.
Report Says:
According to a news release from U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary, “convicted felons with violent criminal histories caught illegally possessing a firearm will face federal consequences for breaking the law.” “To help hold repeat and violent offenders accountable for their crimes and get them off the streets, we are closely collaborating with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify cases involving these individuals.”
Rich Bilson, supervisory senior resident agent of FBI Atlanta’s Albany office, stated, “Pittman, with a lengthy criminal history, terrorized innocent victims once again during his most recent crime; it is past time that he be sent to federal prison with a lengthy sentence for his actions.” “To keep our communities safe, the FBI and our state and local partners will keep removing repeat violent offenders from our streets.”
On May 26, 2022, Hahira Police Department officers saw a white van and another car swiftly approach the police department’s parking area, according to court filings and other evidence. Several persons were inside the white van when the officers arrived. When one of the passengers reported to the police that the other car was pursuing them and “driving crazy,” including running stop signs and that someone inside the car had pointed a gun at them, they drove to the police station to get assistance.
Officers were informed by a woman inside the van that Pittman, the driver of the other car, had threatened her with a gun and she was attempting to flee from him.
The second car that pulled into the police department parking area contained Pittman and two other individuals. They were asked if anyone had a gun by an officer. Pittman, occupying the rear seat, declared that he didn’t. The officer found a methamphetamine pipe and a little handgun-shaped bulge in the rear of the driver’s seat pocket.
Officers discovered a.380 semi-automatic handgun with five bullets in the magazine and one chambered round when Pittman and the other two passengers exited the vehicle. Next to the rear driver’s side door on the floorboard was another round.
Pittman owned the firearm. Pittman has a long history of violent crimes, including convictions for simple assault, battery, aggravated assault, and terrorist threats at the state level. A convicted felon is not allowed to own a firearm.
The focus of the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce violent crime is Project Safe Neighborhoods, which includes the prosecution of these cases.
Both the FBI and the Hahira Police Department looked into the situation. Hannah Couch, an assistant US attorney, handled the government’s prosecution of the case.
