A Baldwin County jury has delivered a guilty verdict in the case of Dormaine Mitchell, a 39-year-old Milledgeville man, for the illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that after a two-day trial, which started on Monday and concluded on Tuesday, Mitchell now faces up to 15 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and could be fined $250,000. The sentencing date is still pending, with U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal presiding over the case.
The conviction stems from an incident on October 13, 2022, when a Baldwin County Sheriff's deputy noticed a vehicle driven by Mitchell veering off the road and into oncoming traffic. After pulling over the vehicle, Mitchell, who displayed signs of intoxication, assured the deputy that he had no weapons. Nevertheless, the deputy spotted the extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol when Mitchell reached for his wallet, escalating the interaction. Officers arrested Mitchell after he moved the firearm to the passenger seat and confronted by additional law enforcement personnel that arrived on the scene, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. During the arrest, Mitchell ominously remarked to an officer, "You better be glad it didn’t go bad."
"We are relieved that no one was injured in this incident and thankful to the officers who effectively managed a tense and dangerous situation," Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker stated, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka praised the response to what he described as a "high-risk situation," ensuring "a safe outcome for everyone involved."
The case is considered a part of Operation Take Back America, a comprehensive initiative spearheaded by the Department of Justice, which targets a broad range of illegal activities including illegal immigration and violent crime. Mitchell's prior convictions, which include aggravated assault, prohibited him from possessing any firearms. His apprehension and subsequent guilty verdict underscores the ongoing collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies. The combined efforts of the ATF, Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, alongside Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, highlights the commitment to enforce firearms laws and maintain public safety.
The investigation received support from multiple agencies, which included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office. The prosecution for the government was handled by Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julius Jefferson, according to the case details from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
