Lee Milton Reeves, a multi-convicted felon, was sentenced on Mar. 27 to seven years in federal prison after threatening employees and police officers with a gun at a Riverdale, Georgia restaurant.
The case highlights the risks posed by armed felons and the efforts of law enforcement to address gun violence. Prosecutors said Reeves pointed a firearm at officers who responded to an emergency call at the restaurant’s bathroom on March 17, 2024. The investigation also found that Reeves had fired the same weapon inside a trailer occupied by a mother and daughter one day earlier.
“This case shows precisely why convicted felons are prohibited from possessing guns,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Had Reeves pulled the trigger, this case could have ended in tragedy. My office will never stop working towards making Georgia safe by removing armed felons from the community.”
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd said, “The sentence imposed today sends a clear message to convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms: ATF’s top priority remains keeping our communities safe. ATF will continue working with our law enforcement partners to target individuals who unlawfully possess firearms.”
Reeves pleaded guilty on December 17, 2025, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and received three years of supervised release following his prison term. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation with help from local agencies.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which brings together all levels of law enforcement and community organizations to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia serves as the principal federal law enforcement agency in its district according to its official website. The office prioritizes prosecution of threats such as terrorism, human trafficking and civil rights violations according to its official website, enforces federal criminal laws while representing the United States in civil matters according to its official website, coordinates cases with nationwide or international dimensions according to its official website, covers regions serving about 7.5 million residents across north Georgia mountains and Atlanta suburbs as well as bordering states according to its official website, and is currently led by Theodore S. Hertzberg according to its official website.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Hwang prosecuted this case.
