David Earl Butler

VALDOSTA — A Valdosta man was convicted in federal court Thursday of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the justice department.

David Earl Butler, 30, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. There is no parole in the federal system.

Butler was taken into custody by Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputies on April 3, 2018, on an outstanding felony warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, the statement said. During a search of the residence where Butler was taken into custody, deputies found a loaded .40 caliber Desert Eagle handgun and a box of .40 caliber ammunition. Butler was previously convicted of aggravated assault and terroristic threats in the Superior Court of Lowndes County, the statement said. He is on felony probation in Lowndes County, according to the justice department. It is illegal for convicted felons to possess firearms. 

“This case illustrates our multi-agency effort to enforce gun laws that prohibit convicted felons from possessing firearms, particularly when the convicted felon has a history of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “It is a priority of this office to identify and prosecute violent offenders who jeopardize the safety of our communities. I want to thank the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision for their work in this case.”

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, part of the justice department’s violent crime reduction effort.

The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision. 

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.