Three Central Georgia Men Get Prison Sentences Illegally Possessing Firearms
Three Central Georgia residents with lengthy criminal histories were sentenced this week to federal crimes in three separate Project Safe Neighborhoods cases targeting convicted felons with guns.
Raikwon Christian, 27, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Oct. 31; Trayon Brown, 35, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 71 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Oct. 31; and Gabriel Brown, 43, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Oct. 30 by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. The defendants each previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“Convicted felons caught with firearms—especially assault weapons and large capacity magazines—pose a danger in our communities and will face federal prosecution for illegally possessing them,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “These Project Safe Neighborhoods cases are all the result of strong collaboration between many local, state and federal law enforcement partners working to reduce gun violence and make our communities safer.”
“ATF’s mission is to deny criminals access to firearms and protect the rights of law-abiding citizens. When offenders illegally possess firearms that can be used against our citizens, our children and our community, ATF takes this very seriously,” said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
According to court documents in the Christian case, Christian reported to the Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS) Office in Macon on Dec. 13, 2021, and was arrested on an active probation warrant. Before entering the building, Christian placed a bag behind a trashcan outside the building. The bag held a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, along with a cell phone and Christian’s identification. Agents also found recent posts of Christian on Facebook holding AR-15 and AK-47 style rifles with extended magazines. A search warrant was executed at 1367 Sanford Avenue in Macon on Dec. 14, where the photos were taken. Five firearms were located inside the residence, including a revolver with an obliterated serial number, a stolen and loaded semi-automatic pistol and a semi-automatic pistol equipped with a large capacity magazine. In addition, agents found illegal drugs—most already packaged for distribution—plus digital scales, cells phones and plastic baggies. A review of the property’s own security footage showed numerous suspected drug transactions. Agents later found the AK-47 rifle Christian held in social media posts hidden in a vent. The firearm was loaded and equipped with a magazine containing 27 rounds of ammunition.
According to court documents in the Trayon Brown case, a Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop a vehicle on Napier Avenue in Macon for a traffic violation on June 8, 2022. Brown was driving; instead of pulling over, Brown turned onto a side street and jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving and it collided with a sign. Brown ran away with the deputy in pursuit; the officer was injured jumping a chain-linked fence chasing after the defendant. The deputy found Brown hiding in some bushes near a private residence with a semi-automatic pistol next to him. Brown’s car contained methamphetamine, marijuana, digital scales, several additional small bags and a bag of ammunition. Brown has two prior robbery by force convictions in Bibb County, Georgia, Superior Court.
According to court documents in the Gabriel Brown case, Brown and three people were inside his home on Beech Drive in Oglethorpe, Georgia, when several gunshots were fired into the home and one person was struck with shotgun pellets. Brown, who has three prior felonies, grabbed his Taurus handgun and fired four to five shots at a vehicle speeding away. Brown then went to grab another pistol. Emergency responders recognized Brown as a felon. Brown turned over three firearms inside his home: a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine; a fully loaded and chambered 5.56 caliber semi-automatic pistol fitted with a laser; and one fully loaded and chambered .45 ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol. Agents with GBI’s Southwest Regional Drug Enforcement Office executed a search warrant and found a 9×19 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Raikwon Christian and the Trayon Brown cases were both investigated by ATF and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO).
The Gabriel Brown case was investigated by ATF, the GBI Region 3 Field Office, the GBI’s Southwest Regional Drug Enforcement Office, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office and the Montezuma Police Department.
