Terrell Polen, 37, of Augusta, was sentenced on May 19 to 52 months in federal prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. also ordered three years of supervised release following the prison term.
Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said in the announcement that there is no parole in the federal system. Heap said, “Our office has a zero-tolerance approach for convicted felons possessing guns or ammunition, particularly while committing another felony. If you’re prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of a history of committing crimes, we’ll work with our law enforcement partners to hold those violators accountable.”
According to court records and testimony, Richmond County sheriff’s deputies responded in November 2024 to a report involving a man pointing a rifle and found Polen in possession of ammunition. Federal law prohibits previously convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition; Polen had prior state felony convictions.
The case was investigated by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry W. Syms Jr.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia prosecutes federal crimes and manages civil litigation for the United States while employing about 70 attorneys and support staff at its headquarters in Savannah and branch office in Augusta; it functions under the United States Department of Justice and promotes community safety through programs such as Project Safe Neighborhoods, according to the official website.
