By Joe Johnson
An Athens man with a lengthy and violent criminal history was recently sentenced to serve more nearly 11 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a gun and possessing homemade knives while in federal detention.
Michael Anthony Randall, 33, formerly of Towne View Place, on Sept. 7 was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Athens to a total of 129 months-or nearly 11 years-in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
In May he had pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of contraband while in jail.
According to court documents, Randall was arrested in Athens in January 2021 for illegally possessing a .380 caliber pistol. He was not supposed to possess weapons because he had multiple prior state felony convictions in North Carolina and Georgia, for offenses that included assault with serious bodily injury and drugs.
Randall was also previously convicted in the U.S. Middle District of Georgia for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
He was subsequently indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in October 2022 and the following month, and while in custody awaiting his initial appearance in federal court, Butts County Jail officers found Randall in possession of a “shank,” or a handmade knife. Officers found another shank on Randall on Nov. 10, prior to his court appearance, and with yet another shank on Dec. 16, inside the Butts County Jail.