ALBANY, GA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.
ALBANY, Ga. – A Valdosta, Georgia, resident with a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault and robbery by intimidation was sentenced to prison after officers took him into custody in illegal possession of a loaded firearm during a domestic violence call.
Sammie Eubanks, 28, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison to run concurrently to any sentenced imposed by the Superior Court of Lanier County, Georgia, for probation violation to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on March 3 after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm.
“Armed felons with violent criminal backgrounds who illegally possess guns will face federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the Valdosta Police Department and FBI for helping us hold repeat felons caught illegally possessing firearms accountable at the federal level.”
“Eubanks, with a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault and robbery by intimidation, clearly did not learn from his past mistakes and continued to intimidate people in our community,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole.”
According to information relayed in court, on Aug. 31, 2019, Valdosta Police Department officers responded to a report of domestic violence on North Sawgrass Circle. The officers located Eubanks, who was at first uncooperative. Eubanks then told officers he did not assault his girlfriend, but that they had an argument. Eubanks attempted to flee, and he removed a firearm he was carrying and threw it on the ground. Eubanks was restrained and officers recovered the loaded .22 caliber pistol. Eubanks was previously convicted of felony robbery by intimidation and aggravated assault in the Superior Court of Lanier County, Georgia, on Dec. 12, 2012. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Valdosta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch prosecuted the case.
