Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nearly Two Decades for Firearm Possession in Valdosta

VALDOSTA, Ga. – A repeat offender was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm outside a Valdosta Dollar General store. Donald Patrick Parr, 69, of Ocilla, Georgia, and formerly of Valdosta, was also sentenced to two years of supervised release following his prison term.

Parr, classified as an armed career criminal due to his extensive criminal history, was found guilty at trial on May 13 of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In the federal system, there is no parole.

Authorities said a Lowndes County Sheriff’s deputy responded to reports of a man sitting in a car in the Dollar General parking lot for over an hour, sometimes falling asleep. Parr was wanted for drug charges in Palo Pinto County, Texas, when law enforcement found over a gram of methamphetamine, a bag of marijuana, and a .22 caliber revolver in his vehicle.

Parr’s criminal record includes multiple felony convictions for drug distribution, making terroristic threats, aggravated fleeing, and prior firearm offenses.

“The penalties are steep for armed career criminals caught illegally possessing firearms in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. He thanked the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF for their role in holding repeat offenders accountable.

ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis emphasized the importance of cooperation with local agencies in tackling gun violence and keeping communities safe.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the government.