Jackson County man sentenced as an armed career criminal

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Brandon Mason has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as an armed career criminal.

“The Armed Career Criminal statute was written for defendants like Mason whose drug trafficking and violence pose a significant risk to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, and community stakeholders, are helping to achieve meaningful reductions in violent crime in these communities.”

“Targeting trigger pullers is a key component to ATF’s mission to take violent offenders off the street” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “The fact that Mason is an armed career criminal will guarantee he is off the streets for many years to come.”

“The Commerce Police Department was honored to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in an effort to hold Brandon Mason accountable for his actions.  Brandon Mason has routinely reoffended upon returning to our community.  The opportunity to prosecute this case through Project Safe Neighborhoods will aid us in our efforts to keep Commerce a safe community to thrive in.  Mason has demonstrated time and again a propensity to commit violent acts that create an unsafe negative environment in the neighborhood he grew up in.  The sentence imposed should stand as both accountability for Brandon Mason as well as a deterrent to others that would consider the commission of violent acts intended to disrupt the safety, tranquility, and quality of life in the City of Commerce,” said Kenneth Harmon Jr., Chief of Police, City of Commerce.

According to U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: On October 6, 2019, the Commerce, Georgia, Police Department responded to a 911 call of shots fired. The victim identified Brandon Mason as the shooter, and a crime scene expert determined that bullets had pierced the back windshield of the victim’s car, pierced the driver’s headrest, and exited through the front windshield of the vehicle. Officers also found .40 caliber shell casings at the scene. Investigators apprehended Mason approximately one hour after the shooting in possession of a .40 caliber pistol.

Brandon Mason, 34, of Commerce, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story to 15 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.  Mason pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm on December 21, 2020, in connection with this shooting.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Commerce Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.