Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession

Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Prattville, Alabama man for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On April 1, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 33-year-old Harry Deonta Bailey to 108 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to Bailey's plea agreement and other court records, during the early morning hours of November 16, 2025, officers with the Montgomery Police Department responded to reports of shots fired during an altercation between a man and a woman just south of downtown Montgomery.

Upon arrival, officers heard a gunshot and observed several individuals engaged in a physical altercation. As officers approached, a man matching the description provided in the initial report attempted to flee. During a brief foot pursuit, officers observed the individual discard a firearm.

Officers quickly detained the individual, later identified as Bailey. A second firearm was recovered from his person. Bailey has prior felony convictions in Alabama and Georgia and is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. He pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on December 12, 2025.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (OTBA) and the Middle District of Alabama's Violent Offender Intervention and Deterrence (VOID) program. OTBA is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

VOID aims to reduce violent crime by enhancing coordination, communication, and collaboration with law enforcement partners. The program focuses on working directly with local agencies and traditional federal partners to prosecute violent offenders and armed felons, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and build proactive cases targeting gangs and repeat violent offenders. VOID prioritizes the most serious violent crime cases and fosters close working relationships with state and local prosecutors and law enforcement throughout the Montgomery River Region.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted the case.