Three defendants sentenced on firearms charges

MACON — Three defendants with lengthy criminal histories who were found guilty by federal juries of illegally possessing firearms resulting from Project Safe Neighborhoods investigations in south Georgia have been sentenced to prison.

Demetris Gervone Bellamy, 32, of Ray City, was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he was convicted Aug. 17, 2023, of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Joshua Granger, 35, of Orlando, Fla., was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he was convicted Aug. 16, 2023, of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Shi-Young Lamar Sharper, 39, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he was convicted July 26, 2023, of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson presided over sentencings, which occurred at the U.S. Courthouse in Macon.

“These cases involved armed defendants with criminal histories who repeatedly violated the law, brought to federal attention as a result of the Valdosta Division’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said in a news release. “Our office is focused on reducing crime in our communities; holding repeat and violent offenders accountable is one part of a combined community and law enforcement effort to address violent crime through Project Safe Neighborhoods.”

“These sentences are a direct result of what good multijurisdictional partnerships and communication can accomplish,” Rich Bilson, supervisory senior resident agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office, said. “We are grateful for all the hard work by our partners that allowed these repeat offenders to be removed from the streets before they could commit any worse crimes.”

“The federal, state and local collaboration through Project Safe Neighborhoods helps us get violent, repeat criminals off the streets,” Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said. “We are thankful for this continuing partnership.”

These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. The Bellamy and Granger cases were investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the cases for the government.

The Sharper case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the government.

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