BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a convicted felon for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.

U.S. District Court Judge Abdul K. Kallon sentenced Reginald Lamar Bonner, 43, of Birmingham, to 96 months in prison on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Bonner pleaded guilty in April 2021 to unlawfully possessing a Springfield .45 caliber pistol on April 24, 2020.  Bonner is prohibited from having a firearm because of prior felony convictions. In January 2017, Bonner pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm and was still serving his sentence on that case when he committed the current offense.  

Judge Kallon ordered the 96-month sentence to be served consecutively to a 24-month federal revocation sentence on the earlier case.

“Prosecuting those who illegally possess firearms is part of our strategy for reducing violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “We are grateful to the Birmingham Police Department and ATF for their efforts to take guns off the street and make our communities safer.”

“The partnerships with the public safety departments and the U.S. Attorney’s Office were crucial in reducing the potential for violent crime in this case,” Special Agent in Charge Mickey French stated. 

The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.