Press Release
United States Attorney Escalona Announces Recent Indictments Aimed at Reducing Violent Crime Across the Northern District of Alabama
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona announced that continued efforts to combat violent crime have led to federal firearms charges against 12 individuals. These indictments are the result of the collaborative efforts of federal and local partners to identify and focus enforcement on individuals who illegally purchase and possess firearms in the Northern District of Alabama.
“Felons who illegally possess firearms are major contributors to violent crime in this district,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The fundamental goal of our violent crime work is to focus our enforcement actions on the individuals and criminal activities that drive violent crime in our communities. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect our communities and to reduce the number of firearms in the hands of prohibited people.”
Last month a federal grand jury indicted 12 individuals across the Northern District of Alabama on a variety of federal firearm charges.
DeKalb County
Mark Anthony Clines, 59, of Rainsville, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Miguel Angel Rojas, 31, of Valley Head, was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm.
Etowah County
Michael Wesson, 66, of Southside, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Jefferson County
Robert Elijah Allen, 29, of Birmingham, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm. Somer Lemere Ross, 27, of Birmingham, was charged with making a false statement to a federal firearms licensee dealer during the purchase of a firearm. Ross falsified documents by specifically stating that she was the actual buyer when in fact she was buying the firearm for an individual who was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Cornelius Abodur Brownlee, Jr., 21, of Ensley, was charged with illegally possessing a machine gun, that is, a Glock 9mm pistol equipped with a “Glock switch” and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Roderick Jimelle Needham, 23, of Birmingham, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Kenneth Lamont Crawford, 51, of Birmingham, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Mark Anthony Clifton, 37, of Cedar Bluff, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Shelby County
Dennis Dewayne Dothard, 39, of Birmingham, was charged with Hobbs Act Robbery, brandishing a firearm in during and in relation to a violent crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.
St. Clair County
Christopher Allen Grooms, 40, of Ashville, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
Tuscaloosa County
Isiah Teanthony Joy, 31, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was charged with felon in possession of a firearm.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the Department of Justice’s violent crime strategy to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders collaborate 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.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Updated July 21, 2023
Topics
Violent Crime
Firearms Offenses
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