Convicted felon sentenced to 14 years in prison for weapons charge, Georgia prosecutors say

A man who has been convicted more than a dozen times will now spend over a decade in federal prison after a jury found him guilty on a new charge.

Jesse James Williams Jr., 51, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm last year, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia said.

According to prosecutors, Gwinnett County police arrested Williams in May 2024 after stopping his car for speeding. During that stop, officers found a stolen pistol and a baggie of crack cocaine, officials said. The gun was later linked to a shooting in Decatur.

Before his most recent arrest, Williams had been convicted 14 times for crimes that included robbery, burglary, drug trafficking, and weapon possession. In one case, prosecutors say Williams killed a man over a $10 drug debt, leading to his conviction on a charge of voluntary manslaughter.

"Williams has demonstrated time and again that he has no regard for the law or the safety of others. A violent convicted felon with a history of drug trafficking, robbery, and weapons offenses has no place on our streets with a firearm, and this sentence ensures he will be held accountable for his continued criminal conduct," said Marlo Graham, the special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. 

On Tuesday, a federal judge sentenced Williams to 14 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.