Topline: A Decatur man with more than a dozen felony convictions will spend 14 years in federal prison after authorities said he was caught with a stolen pistol that had already been used in a shooting.
Published: September 1, 2026 4:04 pm ET
Randy Shaw
I cut my teeth in journalism when I began looking into what I saw as abuses of power in my local government. From then on, I was hooked on the dopamine rush of uncovering information.
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ATLANTA, GA — A Decatur man with more than a dozen felony convictions has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after authorities said he was caught with a stolen pistol and crack cocaine during a 2024 traffic stop.
Jesse James Williams Jr., 51, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. A federal jury found him guilty in December 2025 of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon after a four-day trial.
According to WSB-TV, Williams was arrested May 29, 2024, after a Gwinnett County police officer stopped his vehicle for speeding. Prosecutors said officers found the stolen pistol and a bag of crack cocaine in his waistband, and investigators later determined the gun had been used in a Decatur shooting that injured a woman.
Prosecutors said Williams had built up more than 14 felony convictions before this arrest, including cocaine trafficking, robbery, burglary and weapons offenses. His record also included a 2011 voluntary manslaughter conviction tied to the killing of another man during a dispute over a $10 drug debt.
Federal authorities said Williams had allegedly warned the woman injured in the Decatur shooting before opening fire. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the sentence showed that repeat offenders who arm themselves and endanger the community would be removed from the streets, while FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said Williams had repeatedly shown disregard for the law and public safety.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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A Decatur man with more than a dozen felony convictions will spend 14 years in federal prison after authorities said he was caught with a stolen pistol that had already been used in a shooting.
By Randy Shaw
Published: September 1, 2026 4:04 pm ET
ATLANTA, GA — A Decatur man with more than a dozen felony convictions has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after authorities said he was caught with a stolen pistol and crack cocaine during a 2024 traffic stop.
Jesse James Williams Jr., 51, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. A federal jury found him guilty in December 2025 of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon after a four-day trial.
According to WSB-TV, Williams was arrested May 29, 2024, after a Gwinnett County police officer stopped his vehicle for speeding. Prosecutors said officers found the stolen pistol and a bag of crack cocaine in his waistband, and investigators later determined the gun had been used in a Decatur shooting that injured a woman.
Prosecutors said Williams had built up more than 14 felony convictions before this arrest, including cocaine trafficking, robbery, burglary and weapons offenses. His record also included a 2011 voluntary manslaughter conviction tied to the killing of another man during a dispute over a $10 drug debt.
Federal authorities said Williams had allegedly warned the woman injured in the Decatur shooting before opening fire. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the sentence showed that repeat offenders who arm themselves and endanger the community would be removed from the streets, while FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said Williams had repeatedly shown disregard for the law and public safety.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Convicted Felon Sentenced in Federal Gun Case After Killing Tied to $10 Drug Debt
A Decatur man with more than a dozen felony convictions will spend 14 years in federal prison after authorities said he was caught with a stolen pistol that had already been used in a shooting.
By Randy Shaw
Published: September 1, 2026 4:04 pm ET
ATLANTA, GA — A Decatur man with more than a dozen felony convictions has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after authorities said he was caught with a stolen pistol and crack cocaine during a 2024 traffic stop.
Jesse James Williams Jr., 51, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. A federal jury found him guilty in December 2025 of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon after a four-day trial.
According to WSB-TV, Williams was arrested May 29, 2024, after a Gwinnett County police officer stopped his vehicle for speeding. Prosecutors said officers found the stolen pistol and a bag of crack cocaine in his waistband, and investigators later determined the gun had been used in a Decatur shooting that injured a woman.
Prosecutors said Williams had built up more than 14 felony convictions before this arrest, including cocaine trafficking, robbery, burglary and weapons offenses. His record also included a 2011 voluntary manslaughter conviction tied to the killing of another man during a dispute over a $10 drug debt.
Federal authorities said Williams had allegedly warned the woman injured in the Decatur shooting before opening fire. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the sentence showed that repeat offenders who arm themselves and endanger the community would be removed from the streets, while FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said Williams had repeatedly shown disregard for the law and public safety.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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