Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession (DOJ)

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - An armed career criminal has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.

U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Eric Rollins Burgess, 45, of Moulton, Alabama, to 180 months in prison. Burgess pleaded guilty in January to unlawfully possessing a firearm.

According to the plea agreement, on May 20, 2023, an officer with the Moulton Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Burgess for failure to stop at a stop sign. Burgess told the officer he did not have a driver's license and provided false identifying information, including a name and date of birth. The officer was unable to verify the information, and Burgess was detained and later arrested. During a search of the vehicle, the officer recovered marijuana and drug paraphernalia. A later search of Burgess's person recovered an RG Industries, Model RG 23, .22 caliber revolver.

Burgess is prohibited from having a firearm because of multiple prior felony convictions, and the sentence reflected his status as an armed career criminal. Burgess was previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Lawrence County, Alabama, on June 21, 2021, in three cases of Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance, and on February 10, 2017, of the offenses of Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana.

The ATF investigated the case along with the Moulton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara M. Judah prosecuted the case.