Felon sentenced to federal prison for firearm possession

The Albany Herald, Ga.
·2 min read

Jun. 21—COLUMBUS — A convicted felon with two prior aggravated assault convictions has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

Carlos Alexander, aka Carlos Malone, 39, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 90 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Clay Land after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.

"This sentence reflects the violent criminal history Carlos Alexander has racked up in Columbus," acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said in a news release. "Violent felons caught illegally possessing guns in Columbus and in other cities across the Middle District of Georgia will face the possibility of federal prosecution. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are committed to decreasing violent crime in Columbus and across middle Georgia."

"As a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, Carlos Alexander presented a real danger to the community and to law enforcement," Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Atlanta Field Division John Schmidt said. "Despite being prohibited from possessing a firearm, he was armed when encountered by officers. The federal prosecution of this crime demonstrates ATF's dedication to working alongside our local, state and federal partners, in this case the Columbus Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office, to ensure violent individuals like Alexander are deprived of the ability to continue terrorizing our community."

"I am pleased with the outcome of this case. Also, I am thankful for our partnership with our federal partners," Columbus Police Chief Freddie Blackmon said. "We will continue to work together to make cases on violent criminals. This type behavior will not be tolerated in Columbus, Georgia."

According to court records, Alexander was taken into custody by Columbus Police Department officers on Oct. 14, 2019, at approximately 2 a.m., after matching the description of a suspect in an attempted armed robbery in the city that same day. Alexander was wearing body armor. Inside his vehicle, officers found a black ski mask in the front passenger's seat and a semi-automatic pistol with magazine and five unspent .25 caliber cartridges in the center console.

At the time of the possession of the firearm, Alexander knew he was a convicted felon and that it was illegal for him to be in possession of a firearm. He has previously been convicted of aggravated assault twice as well as attempted armed robbery and possession of a firearm in the Superior Court of Muscogee County.

ATF and the Columbus Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams prosecuted the case.