In Columbus, a repeat offender's run from the law, culminating in an airport fence-scaling episode, has landed him a possible decade-long stint in the big house for gun possession violations. Reginald Weeks-Lewis, a 29-year-old Columbus local, had his fate sealed with a guilty verdict for illegal firearm possession by a convicted felon following a one-day trial that wrapped up yesterday, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
With Weeks-Lewis now facing up to fifteen years in the pen, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and having to cough up as much as $250,000 in fines, the justice system’s intolerance for repeat offenders couldn't be clearer. These consequences, underscored by the no-parole policy of the federal system, await him upon sentencing come Feb. 24, 2026. U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes emphasized the gravity of the situation, asserting, "It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm, and our office is working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable for their crimes," as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The arrest was a joint effort involving local enforcers and the ATF, highlighting a tight-knit alliance against gun violence. Acting ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis stressed the effectiveness of such partnerships, stating, “Our collaboration with local law enforcement and federal agencies is crucial in tackling the issue of gun violence." And from Muscogee County's top cop Sheriff Greg Countryman spun a narrative of police resolve: "The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to our federal partners in order to remove firearms from the hands of those who should not have them," as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Weeks-Lewis’ run-in with law enforcement dates back to an early morning March 1, where a garden-variety traffic stop went rogue on Sidney Simons Boulevard. After a dramatic car chase, culminating in a blown-out tire and a bid for freedom over an airport fence, Week-Lewis found himself face-down in airport-brush custody. Deputies retrieved his semi-automatic pistol — fully loaded, chamber included – neatly stowed between the driver's seat and the console of his ill-fated vehicle. A background check revealed a rap sheet featuring burglary, theft, and drug distribution, among others.
This case is but one thread in the broader tapestry of Operation Take Back America, a concerted federal push to rid the streets of illegal guns and crush the operations of cartels and criminal gangs. By yoking resources from Justice Department's sundry task forces, including the OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), the operation signals an all-hands-on-deck policy in purging violent crime from our communities. The investigative legwork was done by the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office in tandem with the ATF, and with support from the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
