From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM – A Columbiana was man sentenced Wednesday for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States District Judge Abdul Kallon sentenced Joshua Lee Jones, 36, to 80 months in federal prison. Jones was prohibited from owning a firearm because he had prior Illinois state court convictions for murder, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.
A federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Jones in March.
Testimony at trial revealed that on April 16, 2019, investigators with the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force visited Jones’s residence in response to a tip about narcotics transactions occurring there. Jones granted investigators permission to search the residence. During the search, investigators found drug paraphernalia, a small amount of marijuana, and a pistol in Jones’s bedroom.
“Firearms don’t belong in the hands of felons, domestic abusers, or other prohibited persons,” said Attorney Prim F. Escalona. “Keeping firearms out of their hands is a key component of our violent crime strategy. We will continue the critical work of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods to help protect our communities from those who threaten public safety.”
“ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence partnership with the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force focuses on the potentially devastating impact of firearms violence and works with the entire community to provide a safe environment,” Special Agent in Charge Mickey French said.
