Montgomery Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Ammunition Used During Shooting at Gas Station

Montgomery, Alabama - Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced the sentencing of a Montgomery, Alabama man for unlawfully possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony offense. On March 26, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 40-year-old Maricas Rondell Taylor, to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records and evidence presented during his September 2023 trial, following a brief argument, Taylor shot at a Montgomery convenience store clerk. Law enforcement recovered shell casings from the store that the jury linked to those Taylor fired the shooting. Taylor has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

"Arguments that end with gunfire have become far too common," said Acting United States Attorney Ross. "The defendant's use of a firearm to settle a dispute not only put the clerk's life at risk, but he also endangered everyone in the area. The 15-year sentence ordered by the judge was the maximum allowed by federal law, and was justified by Taylor's complete disregard for the safety of others."

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department's renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney's Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Michelle R. Turner prosecuting.