Montgomery Man Convicted of Illegally Possessing Ammunition Used During Shooting at Gas Station

            Montgomery, Alabama – On September 28, 2023, a federal jury convicted Maricas Rondell Taylor, 40, from Montgomery, Alabama, on one count of unlawfully possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony offense, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart.

            According to court records and evidence presented during his trial, on September 30, 2022, Taylor and a cousin entered a gas station on West Fairview Avenue in Montgomery. Taylor’s cousin had been previously barred from entering the store. When the clerk informed the cousin that she was not allowed inside, Taylor became upset and got into a verbal altercation with the clerk. Taylor then left the premises. About 45 minutes later, Taylor returned to the store and again confronted the clerk. Surveillance video from inside the store showed Taylor pulling a gun from his pocket and firing multiple times at the clerk. The clerk was able to seek cover behind the counter and avoid being struck by the bullets fired by Taylor.

            During the investigation, law enforcement recovered shell casings from the store. In finding Taylor guilty, the jury determined that the shell casings recovered from the scene came from ammunition possessed by Taylor during the shooting. Taylor has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

            Following the guilty verdict, Taylor faces a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for Taylor in the coming months. There is no parole in the federal system.

            This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

            The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Michelle R. Turner prosecuting.