Violent Savannah Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Gun Charge

Savannah, GA – DeVonte Shyheem Green, 23, from Savannah, Georgia, pled guilty earlier this week before Senior U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr. for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Green remains in U.S. Marshal custody and will be sentenced after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigation.

According to the evidence presented during the guilty plea hearing, a State arrest warrant was issued for Green in connection with his possession of multiple firearms, drugs and digital scales. On March 31, 2017, officers with Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department (SCMPD) attempted to arrest Green on the outstanding warrant, but Green fled from the police. After a chase, Green was eventually arrested. Yet again, Green was found to be in possession of another firearm, more drugs, and another digital scale. Despite only being 23 years of age, Green has been involved in multiple prior incidents involving firearms or shootings, including a 2015 incident in which Green shot at a car full of people. Green pled guilty to the 2015 shooting incident, but he was given status under Georgia’s First Offender Act.

Under his federal guilty plea, Green faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and maximum of life. There is no parole in the federal system. Green also faces a fine up to $250,000 and 5 years of supervised release upon release from prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney James Durham said, “Most of the violent crime in Savannah is committed by a small number criminals. We’re working closely with SCMPD, the District Attorney’s Office and our federal partners to remove those violent criminals like Mr. Green from our community.”

David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “One of the more significant components of law enforcement’s approach toward reducing the spread of violent crime is to aggressively deal with those with firearms who, through prior criminal conduct, shouldn’t have them. That is the case with Mr. Green. Mr. Green’s guilty plea is a direct result of a combined law enforcement effort by the FBI’s Southeast Georgia Violent Crime Taskforce, whose overall mission is to make the community in which it serves a safer place to live.”

The charges against Green resulted from an investigation led by the FBI’s Southeast Georgia Violent Crime Taskforce, an interagency partnership dedicated to attacking gangs and violent crime in Savannah and the surrounding communities. Assistant United States Attorney Brian T. Rafferty prosecuted the case for the Government. For questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.