Armed Felon Who Pointed Gun at Police Sentenced to Federal Prison

ATLANTA - Lee Milton Reeves, a multi-convicted felon who threatened employees and police officers at gunpoint in the bathroom of a Riverdale, Georgia restaurant, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison.

“This case shows precisely why convicted felons are prohibited from possessing guns,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Had Reeves pulled the trigger, this case could have ended in tragedy. My office will never stop working towards making Georgia safe by removing armed felons from the community.”

“The sentence imposed today sends a clear message to convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms: ATF’s top priority remains keeping our communities safe,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd. “ATF will continue working with our law enforcement partners to target individuals who unlawfully possess firearms.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On March 17, 2024, officers from the Riverdale Police Department responded to an emergency call about a man with a gun at a fast-food restaurant. Once there, officers found Reeves holed up in a bathroom, where Reeves pointed at gun at them. Subsequent investigation revealed that, the day before, Reeves had fired that same gun inside a trailer where a mother and daughter lived.

On March 26, 2026, Lee Milton Reeves, 40, of Mechanicsville, Georgia, was sentenced to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Reeves pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on December 17, 2025.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Riverdale Police Department and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Hwang prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Deputy Convicted of Providing Firearm to Felon

In Lakewood, Colorado, Johnny Alvarado, 33, was found guilty by a federal jury of providing a firearm to a felon. The verdict, delivered on Monday, March 4, marked a significant development in the case.

During a routine home visit to Kyle Garcia, a felon on supervised release, a U.S. probation officer discovered a loaded firearm in a closet. Garcia admitted to possessing the firearm, revealing that he received it from his brother-in-law, Johnny Alvarado, who serves as an Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Deputy. Alvarado confessed to knowingly providing the firearm to Garcia, despite being aware of his felon status.

Garcia, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, received a sentence of 66 months of probation. Meanwhile, Alvarado awaits sentencing, which will be determined at a later date by U.S. District Court Judge John L. Kane.

The investigation into the case was conducted by the ATF, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Celeste Rangel and Aurora Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Perczak.

This significant case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering community trust, supporting preventive measures, and prioritizing strategic enforcement actions. The Department of Justice's launch of a violent crime reduction strategy in May 2021 further strengthened PSN's mission and objectives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

Jury Convicts Stamford Man on Federal Gun and Drug Charges

March 8, 2010 - Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found GREGORY RUSSELL, also known as “Fat G” and “G,” formerly of Carrol Avenue, Stamford, guilty of one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”), and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The trial before United States District Judge Christopher F. Droney began on March 1 and the verdict was returned yesterday, March 3.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on July 25, 2009, officers with the Stamford Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit who were conducting a drug investigation observed RUSSELL enter a car at the intersection of Atlantic Street and Woodland Avenue. The officers were aware that a parole violation warrant had been issued for RUSSELL’S arrest. When two officers attempted to take RUSSELL into custody, he refused their initial instructions to get out of the car. RUSSELL then emerged from the car suddenly, spun away from the officer closest to him, reached into his waistband and withdrew a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. As the officers attempted to subdue RUSSELL, he dropped the gun to the ground and fell to the sidewalk where he discarded 10 baggies of crack cocaine that were packaged for distribution. RUSSELL was then secured in handcuffs.

It was later determined that the .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was loaded with hollow-point ammunition, with one round in the chamber and the safety mechanism on the weapon off.

At the time of his arrest, RUSSELL also was found in possession of $754 in cash, and a search of the vehicle revealed crack cocaine that was packaged for distribution.

Prior to July 25, 2009, RUSSELL had been convicted of multiple felony offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Judge Droney has scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2010, at which time RUSSELL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $1 million on the crack cocaine distribution count. As a result of his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, RUSSELL faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of life, which must be imposed consecutively to any sentence imposed on the crack cocaine count.

RUSSELL has been incarcerated since his federal arrest on December 3, 2009.

This case was investigated by the Stamford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The State of Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the State of Connecticut Controlled Substances and Toxicology Laboratory provided critical assistance to the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher M. Mattei.

U.S. Attorney Dannehy noted that this prosecution is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. This program is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession, sale and trafficking of guns, and improving the safety of residents throughout Connecticut. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.