Savannah man sentenced to more than 35 years in prison for machinegun and drug charges

SAVANNAH, Georgia: A Savannah man has been sentenced to prison in federal court after being convicted for firearm- and drug-related crimes.

The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood and announced by Margaret E. "Meg" Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Maurice Williams, aka "Bando," 23, of Savannah, was sentenced to 421 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after being convicted of two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Illegal Possession of a Machinegun and Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone and Marijuana. Williams also pled guilty to two additional counts of Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun and two counts of Distribution of Fentanyl.

There is no parole in the federal system.

Court documents and testimony show that in September 2023, an extensive investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began which included undercover purchases of firearms and drugs.

These controlled purchases included weapons of various models, including Glock handguns which were equipped with machinegun conversion devices, or MCD's. An MCD allows a firearm to fire multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger, transforming a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machinegun.

Throughout the investigation, undercover agents completed multiple purchases of firearms and drugs, including hundreds of pills containing fentanyl.

During a September 2024 traffic stop by Savannah Police, Williams was found in possession of a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol with an attached MCD, oxycodone, and more than 300 grams of marijuana.

"The extensive illegal activity this defendant was involved in, peddling illicit drugs and selling dangerous weapons will not be tolerated," said U.S. Attorney Heap. "Along with our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney's Office is committed to ensuring that felons that terrorize our community face long, federal prison sentences without opportunities for parole."

"I want to thank our officers and federal partners for their hard work on this case," said Savannah Police Chief Lenny B. Gunther. "Savannah is a safer place for having removed drugs, illegal guns, and a criminal from our community."

"Today's sentencing highlights the importance of our ongoing partnerships in law enforcement," said ATF Resident Agent in Charge Chase Anastasio. "By working together, we can effectively target and disrupt the flow of illegal firearms and drugs in our neighborhoods."

This case was investigated by the ATF, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Savannah Police Department's Strategic Investigations Unit and Community Response Team and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Makeia R. Jonese.