Selma man sentenced to 10 years in prison

Published 8:48 am Wednesday, June 17, 2020

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A Selma man received a 10-year prison sentence after his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Jessie James Turner, Jr. was sentenced in United States Federal Court, according to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama Richard W. Moore.

U.S. District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer presided over the trial and imposed the maximum sentence allowed by federal law.

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According to testimony at the trial, the case arose after Turner fired a gun through walls of his apartment and the Selma Police Department was called to the scene. Turner was found in possession of two AR-15 assault rifles and a .40 caliber handgun.

Under federal law, Turner is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his previous felony convictions that include first-degree Criminal Mischief, Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess a Firearm and two counts of second-degree Assault.  Before announcing the sentence, Moorer found that Mr. Turner was a danger to the community.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the SPD. The case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Kasee S. Heisterhagen and assisted by AUSA George F. May.