Americus man pleads guilty in stolen rifles case

AMERICUS, Ga. (WALB) - An Americus man pleaded guilty in a stolen firearms case that could result in a 15-year prison sentence.

Brandon Michael Hatfield, 31, pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in a U.S. District Court on Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District of Georgia. He could also face three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of up to $250,000.

According to a U.S. attorney, Hatfield repeatedly stole firearms from an Americus Walmart over a series of weeks during November 2022 and then sold them for drugs.

On Nov. 18, 2022, Hatfield was stopped by Americus Walmart employees after he tried to steal a rifle, per court documents. Walmart’s security reportedly found that Hatfield stole five rifles five different times from Walmart.

Hatfield had previously been convicted of drug and other charges in Indiana.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 7.