United States Attorney Leura G. Canary Middle District of Alabama

MONTGOMERY REPEAT OFFENDER CONVICTED OF ILLEGALLY POSSESSING A GUN

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA – Lorenzo Rainer, age 48, of Montgomery, Alabama, was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm on April 16, 2008, after a jury trial in the United States District Court in Montgomery, Leura G. Canary, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, announced today.

Rainer was indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver on June 12, 2007, while being a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Rainer has a long criminal history that includes multiple felony convictions for burglary, robbery, escape, theft of property, and buying, receiving, and concealing stolen property.

After a three-day trial, a jury found beyond a reasonable doubt that Rainer possessed the firearm as charged on June 12, 2007. The evidence introduced at trial showed that Rainer attempted to elude Montgomery Police Department (MPD) officers on his motorcycle after he was observed speeding. He stopped the motorcycle at a residence in Montgomery and continued to flee on foot, with MPD officers in hot pursuit. As one of the officers pursued him around the residence, Rainer drew a gun and pointed it at the officer. After pulling the gun on the police officer, Rainer was able to elude police for approximately twenty minutes before his capture. Rainer had discarded the gun during the pursuit, but the gun, a .357 Magnum revolver, was located in the vicinity.

Sentencing for Rainer has not been set yet. Because Rainer’s criminal history includes three prior felony convictions for crimes of violence, he is facing a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.

The case was investigated as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and Middle District of Alabama’s Alabama ICE programs, aimed at preventing violent crime and the illegal possession of firearms.

This case was investigated through the joint efforts of the Montgomery Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Shepherd and Verne Speirs.