COLUMBUS, Ga. — A Columbus man was found guilty of illegally having a weapon after leading deputies on a chase to the local airport.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Reginald Weeks-Lewis, a 29-year-old repeat offender, was involved in a March 1 traffic stop turned high-speed chase with Muscogee County deputies.
After taking deputies on a chase for several minutes, USDOJ said Weeks-Lewis took a sudden U-turn, drove off and crashed his vehicle, blowing out a tire when he hit the shoulder.
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Justice officials said Weeks-Lewis told deputies he had a gun while running away, so they continued their pursuit.
Then Weeks-Lewis scaled the perimeter fence of Columbus Municipal Airport before being found lying face down on airport property.
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“The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to our federal partners in order to remove firearms from the hands of those who should not have them,” Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman said in a statement. “We will continue to ensure that Muscogee County is a safer place to work and live for our citizens.”
A semiautomatic pistol with eleven rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber was discovered in his car.
He was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces up to fifteen years in prison.
“Our collaboration with local law enforcement and federal agencies is crucial in tackling the issue of gun violence,” Acting ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis said. “We will continue to pursue those who violate the law, especially repeat offenders, with the full weight of federal penalties.”
The USDOJ said Weeks-Lewis has a history of felony convictions, including burglary, theft by taking, obstruction, vandalism to a place of worship, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
“Armed repeat felony offenders are seeing their cases make it to the federal prosecutor’s office, where they face steep penalties,” U.S. Attorney William R. ‘Will’ Keyes said. “It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm, and our office is working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable for their crimes.”
Weeks-Lewis was convicted at the conclusion of a one-day trial on Dec. 9 in U.S. District Judge Clay Land’s courtroom.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a sentencing hearing on Feb. 24, 2026, and faces a maximum of fifteen years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
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