Irvington Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm in High Speed Chase

MOBILE, AL – An Irvington man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on April 14, 2020, Mobile police officers spoke with a woman who reported that her boyfriend, Michael Bates, 28, had taken her car without her permission and that there was a firearm in the vehicle.  At around the same time, employees of the La Quinta Inn in Tillman’s Corner called for police assistance because Bates was there, acting erratically, and flashing a firearm.  An officer from the Mobile Police Department responded to the La Quinta Inn. When Bates saw the officer, he started the car and sped away.  Police officers and deputies from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office gave chase.  Bates led police on a high-speed chase for over six-and-a-half minutes.  The chase began in Tillman’s Corner, a heavily populated area with many pedestrians.  At one intersection, his reckless driving caused a crash.  He then continued to flee, driving through a shopping center parking lot and a Winn Dixie parking lot at speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour.  At one point, when driving down Old Pascagoula Road toward Theodore Dawes Road, he was driving on the wrong side of the road.  Speeds reached up to 130 miles per hour. The pursuit ended when Bates lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree.  Bates had to be physically removed from the car and he fought officers the entire time.  As the officers were attempting to handcuff Bates on the ground, they discovered the firearm in his waistband.

Bates had previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance, theft of property of the first degree, burglary of the third degree, and theft of property of the first degree. Each of these prior felony convictions disqualified Bates from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

United States District Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a forty-one month sentence of incarceration, with credit for the time Bates has spent in custody prior to sentencing.  The judge also ordered Bates to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his discharge from prison.  Judge DuBose ordered that Bates pay $100 in special assessments.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile Police Department, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.