Alabama ICE Convicts Armed Felon;
Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in 7 Minutes

Leura Garrett Canary, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, and James M. Cavanaugh, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Nashville Field Division, announced the conviction of Reco Teague, age 27 of Ramer, Alabama. A federal jury found Teague guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Honorable Truman Hobbs, United States District Judge, presided over the case.

Teague had previously been convicted by the State of Alabama for Assault in the second degree, a felony offense that requires the defendant to inflict "serious physical injury" to another person.

According to United States Attorney Leura Canary, "This defendant's criminal history proved he was a threat to the safety of others. In returning a guilty verdict in under 10 minutes, the members of the jury clearly stated that they have no tolerance for armed criminals. I am grateful to the Troy Police Department for its professional investigation of this case, considering the dangerous circumstances surrounding the recovery of the firearm."

During trial federal prosecutors presented evidence indicating that on May 17, 2002, Teague was stopped by officers of the Troy Police Department. Immediately after the traffic stop, Teague fled from the officers into nearby woods. Near Teague's vehicle, police recovered a box of 9mm "Blazer" bullets. Although he was not apprehended in a subsequent search, Troy Police officers soon discovered articles of Teague's clothing in the same wooded area. As officers secured the clothing, a loaded 9mm pistol fell from inside the clothing, struck the ground, and discharged. No officers were injured.

This case was investigated by the Troy Police Department, and Special Agent Theron Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Verne H. Speirs.

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