Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon pleaded guilty today for being a felon in possession of  a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Acting Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.

Cedric Dewayne Young, 33, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco. 

According to the plea agreement, on November 23, 2020, Birmingham Police officers were conducting an investigation at a residence in Birmingham. The complainants advised the officers that Young pointed a firearm at them. The complainants gave a description of the suspect’s vehicle. The officers issued a BOLO (“be on the lookout”) for the suspect vehicle. A short time later, an officer saw a vehicle that matched the description of Young’s vehicle at a convenience store on Jefferson Avenue SW. Two officers made contact with Young inside the store. Young was uncooperative with officers during his arrest. When officers finally got control of Young, he refused to move his right hand from under his body. Officers found a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol in the waistband of Young’s shorts.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Young has two felony convictions, including discharging a gun into an occupied building or vehicle, and assault.

Young faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

The ATF investigated the case, along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples is prosecuting the case.