Savannah Man Convicted as Armed Career Criminal in Federal Firearms Case

SAVANNAH, Georgia – A Savannah man has been convicted in federal court of illegally possessing a firearm and designated an armed career criminal following a jury trial stemming from a 2023 police investigation.

Duane B. Smith, also known as “Flex,” was found guilty after a two-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, according to Margaret E. Heap. The jury convicted Smith of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and determined he qualifies as an armed career criminal under federal law.

The case originated on June 13, 2023, when officers with the Savannah Police Department responded to a missing person report at the Goodwill store located at 220 Eisenhower Drive. Officers located the missing individual at the scene with Smith and learned Smith had driven the person to the store.

Based on witness interviews, police obtained a search warrant for Smith’s vehicle. During the search, officers found a Cobra .380-caliber handgun concealed under the back seat. Smith was later arrested by the Savannah Police Department SWAT team.

Prosecutors said Smith was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions, including three convictions in Chatham County Superior Court and one federal felony conviction. The case was referred to federal prosecutors, who sought an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

Under that statute, defendants convicted of illegal firearm possession who have at least three prior convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. The jury found Smith met that standard, making him subject to the mandatory minimum sentence.

“With our law enforcement partners, we continue the work of removing firearms from the hands of those who can’t legally possess them,” Heap said. “This effort is a vital step in reducing gun violence in our communities.”

The investigation was conducted by the Savannah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Criminal Chief Patricia G. Rhodes.