MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A 27-year-old Milledgeville man will spend the next seven years and three months of his life in a federal prison on a weapon violation.

Jatavious Griswald was sentenced to serve 87 months behind bars on a conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a press release from the office of United States Attorney of the Middle District of Georgia Charles E. Peeler.

U.S. District Court Judge Marc T. Treadwell imposed the sentence Aug. 27 against Griswald, according to the press release from Pamela Lightsey, public information officer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Macon.

The weapon charge against Griswald arose from a search warrant having been served against him at his residence on May 14, 2015, by local and federal law enforcement officers.

When deputies with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrived at Griswald’s residence, they found him standing beside a car in his yard, according to the press release.

During a subsequent search of Griswald, they discovered him to be in the possession of some marijuana, as well as $941. Inside his car, meanwhile, authorities found a loaded Glock 22-caliber pistol, a loaded Glock 26 pistol, 14.94 grams of cocaine and a digital weighing scale.

Because Griswald had previously been convicted for possession of cocaine and aggravated assault, he was prohibited from being in the possession of any gun, according to the press release.

“Felons with guns are headed to federal prison,” Peeler said after Griswald’s sentence. “I commend the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, and the (U.S.) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work in this case.”

This case against Griswald stemmed from a federal program known as “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” which historically have proven to be successful in joining together law enforcement officers from different agencies in an effort to reduce violent crimes and make neighborhoods safer, overall.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions “has made turning the tide of rising crime in America a top priority,” according to the press release.

In October 2017, as part of a series of actions aimed at addressing the crime trend across America, Sessions announced the reinvigoration of Project Safe Neighborhoods and directed all U.S. Attorney offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since Project Safe Neighborhoods was unveiled in 2001.

The Griswald case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Easterling.