Savannah Man Convicted on Federal Firearms and Drug Charges

Maurice “Bando” Williams, 23, of Savannah, Georgia, was convicted in federal court on charges including possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a machinegun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The conviction follows a two-day trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.

In September 2024, Savannah Police officers stopped a vehicle in which Williams was a backseat passenger. Officers discovered a machinegun with an extended magazine, oxycodone, a digital scale, packaging materials, cash, and over 300 grams of marijuana.

Williams was arrested and federally indicted on eight counts, three of which stemmed from this traffic stop. The jury found him guilty on all charges. The trial was presided over by Judge Lisa Godbey Wood.

The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner.

Savannah Chief of Police Lenny B. Gunther praised the investigation and prosecution as “great work all around, from arrest to conviction.”