Columbus man pleads guilty to break-in at Shooters of Columbus

A Columbus man pleaded guilty Tuesday to theft of firearms from Shooters of Columbus, Charles E. Peeler, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Georgia said.

Devante Patterson, 24, made the plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Clay Land. During the hearing, Patterson admitted to entering the Milgen Road business to steal guns.

Although it took several attempts, Patterson was successful in cutting through a locked roll up door and smashing glass to enter the business during the early morning hours of Nov. 24, 2017. Six pistols and three rifles, including two assault rifles, were stolen from the store.

About $12,000 in firearms were stolen from the gun store and shooting range, with about $1,200 in damages to the property, according to testimony in a Nov. 2017 Recorder’s Court hearing.

Patterson was later confronted by officers at another firearms business where officers discovered evidence linking him to the first break-in and theft. Officers were able to recover eight of nine stolen firearms.

Assisting in the investigation were the Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Solis is prosecuting the case.

The charges were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhood safer. In October 2017, the attorney general announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy from lessons learned since 2001.

This story was originally published August 23, 2018 at 12:00 AM.