Violent fleeing felon with firearm sentenced to prison

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Savannah man will spend nearly four years in federal prison on a firearms possession charge that started with his attempt to outrun police.

Elisha Gadson, 26, of Savannah, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to statements made in court and in court filings, Port Wentworth Police Department officers attempted to stop Gadson for a minor traffic violation when he made an illegal U-turn and sped away, endangering others by racing up to 100 mph in a 35 mph zone. Once Gadson was apprehended, Port Wentworth officers recovered a Glock 19 9mm with a fully loaded magazine under the driver’s seat of Gadson’s vehicle and another loaded 9mm magazine in the trunk. Because of prior felony convictions, including a conviction involving violence, Gadson is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. 

“The joyride for this defendant is over, and his next stop will be federal prison,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We commend the Port Wentworth Police Department for their diligence and for successfully removing yet another firearm from the hands of a convicted felon.”

“This case involves an illegally possessed firearm in the hands of a criminal,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “It demonstrate the cooperation that exists between the Port Wentworth Police Department and ATF.”

This case was investigated by the Port Wentworth Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Bearden.