A member of the Macon Mafia, Nekoase Antwan Vinson, was sentenced to over 8 years in federal prison after violating federal firearms laws, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Vinson, a previously convicted felon, was arrested for possessing an AR-style rifle during a fatal shooting at a Macon gas station in 2024.
The sentencing, carried out by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell, includes 107 months behind bars followed by three years of supervised release for Vinson, 41, now held accountable for the illegal possession of a firearm, his sentence comes on top of the revocation of his supervised release related to a past cocaine distribution conspiracy charge, he had pled guilty to both charges. "A man lost his life as a result of gang-related shooting where convicted felons illegally possessed rapid-fire guns capable of killing many people," Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker stated, underscoring the risks posed by repeat offenders armed unlawfully.
The incident that led to Vinson's sentencing occurred on July 20, 2024, at the Marathon gas station on Napier Avenue in Macon, where video surveillance captured Vinson brandishing an AR-style rifle and Joshua Teone Curry firing a fully automatic pistol, amidst the shooting RaQuavian Smith, an associate of both men present at the scene, succumbed to gunshot wounds as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Following the shooting, law enforcement conducted a search on August 23, 2024, at a location controlled by Vinson and Curry and seized two firearms discovered beneath a mattress, and various gang memorabilia, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis commenting on the case said, "We can be grateful that for almost nine years Nekoase Vinson will not be able to spew violence which might harm law abiding citizens." The seized items included a Glock with an extended magazine and a switch, a Sig Sauer pistol, an AR-style rifle from Curry’s vehicle, and Macon Mafia promotional items such as t-shirts and hats, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
This case forms part of a broader federal initiative, Operation Take Back America, which aims to dismantle illegal immigration, cartels, and criminal organizations to protect communities from violent crimes. The joined forces of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office spearheaded the investigation with Leah E. McEwen, the Criminal Chief, prosecuting the case.
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