United States of America v. Charlie Sapp

Savannah, Georgia, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with felony possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.

On October 8, 2021, Charlies Sapp, age 58, retrieved a loaded firearm from a vehicle, confronted an individual in an apartment complex parking lot, pointed the firearm at that individual, and then fired three shots. The individual Sapp shot died on the scene. While the weapon used in the shooting was never recovered, officers with the Savannah Police Department recovered two shell casings on the scene. Those shell casings were enough to convict Sapp in the U.S. District Court. Sapp was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County.

At sentencing, Judge Hall agreed to the Government’s request to enhance Sapp’s sentence on the ammunition charge because his conduct constituted second-degree murder. Due to Sapp illegally possessing ammunition, a Savannah man lost their life.

Sapp was previously tried for this conduct in November 2022 by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. That trial did not result in a conviction.

“Every bullet represents a potential threat to public safety; we will continue to work diligently to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.

The case was being investigated by the ATF, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 120 months in prison and to to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term, in addition to a $1,500 fine. There is no parole in the federal system.