Wilmer Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm

MOBILE, AL – A Wilmer man was sentenced to 168 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.

According to court documents, on April 21, 2025, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting on Trace Lane in Wilmer, Alabama.  Upon arrival, deputies discovered a 17-year-old deceased male with apparent gunshot wounds. Witnesses identified, and the investigation confirmed, Jason Paul Covington, 43, as the shooter. Following the shooting, Covington hid the firearm under a nearby shed and fled the scene.  Deputies recovered the firearm, a Winchester Model 1200, 12-gauge shotgun.  Covington has a prior felony conviction for Escape. As a convicted felon, Covington is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Covington was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Covington to 168 months in prison to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm.

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

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica S. Terrill and Jimmy L. Thomas prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.