Milledgeville man sentenced for illegal firearm possession after 2022 standoff

U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal sentenced 39-year-old Dormaine Mitchell to 140 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after a federal jury found him guilty on April 8 of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Milledgeville man with a prior aggravated assault conviction has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison after authorities say he illegally possessed a pistol with an extended magazine during a tense 2022 standoff with Baldwin County deputies.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal sentenced 39-year-old Dormaine Mitchell to 140 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after a federal jury found him guilty on April 8 of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Mitchell is not eligible for parole in the federal system.

“Repeat offenders convicted of violent crimes have no business carrying a gun. Felons who illegally possess firearms will be federally prosecuted for breaking the law and endangering others,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This case demonstrates the risk our law enforcement partners face daily, and I am thankful for their commitment to public safety.”

ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka called Mitchell “a clear and present danger” to the community, and Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee said the defendant “has repeatedly caused issues in our community” and that he was grateful the case was prosecuted federally.

According to court documents, a Baldwin County deputy noticed Mitchell driving erratically on Vinson Highway near Laboratory Road on October 13, 2022. After pulling Mitchell over, the deputy said she smelled alcohol and heard slurred speech. Mitchell initially told deputies he had no weapons in the vehicle, but when he reached for his wallet, the deputy saw an extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol between the driver’s seat and center console.

The deputy pulled her service weapon and ordered Mitchell to place his hands on the steering wheel. At some point during the encounter, Mitchell moved the gun and placed it on the passenger seat. Backup units arrived and Mitchell was taken into custody.

As officers escorted Mitchell to a patrol car, he allegedly told them, “You better be glad it didn’t go bad.”

Investigators later learned Mitchell had a prior aggravated assault conviction in Baldwin County, which made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.