Columbus man sentenced to more than 10 years after streaming crimes on Facebook Live. Here’s more.
.jpg "A Columbus man was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison this week.")
A Columbus man’s use of social media landed him federal prison for the next decade.
Bobby Thomas, 25, was sentenced to 130 months in prison earlier this week.
The documented member of the Crips and convicted felon was brought into custody after a Columbus Police Department officer saw a Facebook Live video of Thomas in a stolen vehicle holding a handgun.
In the video, Thomas said that he was going to Peachtree Mall; officers quickly located the vehicle. After fleeing on foot, Thomas was apprehended.
Once a warrant was obtained, officers searched Thomas’s residence, where he attempted to flee again.
In the residence, officers found multiple firearms and ammunition, including a .45 caliber pistol with magazine; a Glock 23, .40 caliber pistol with extended magazine and ammunition; a KelTec, 9mm rifle with magazine; seven additional ammunition magazines; a plastic bag with various caliber rounds; and a box of .40 caliber ammunition.
Officers also discovered heroin and drug distribution on the premises.
On Nov. 29, Thomas pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Thomas’s criminal history includes a felony conviction for methamphetamine possession. Now, he will serve more than 10 years in prison and then have five years of supervised release.
“This sentence is a direct message to criminals that the FBI and the Project Safe Neighborhoods program focuses every day on dangerous criminals like Thomas,” said Keri Farley, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. “If you traffic in drugs and violence, you will be targeted, and we will ensure that you are prosecuted and removed from our streets.”
