Doug Howard
Law Enforcement Coordinator/Public Information Officer
U.S. Attorney’s Office- Middle District of Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama – On January 30, 2024, a federal jury in Montgomery, Alabama, convicted 57-year-old Vincent Darrell Bias, from Alexander City, Alabama, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross.
According to court records and evidence presented during Bias’s trial, on September 8, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a shooting at an Alexander City residence. Officers soon arrived at the scene and located the shooting victim. Statements taken from the victim and other witnesses indicated that Bias and the victim had an argument the day before, and that Bias returned to the residence the following day with a shotgun. According to witnesses, Bias shot the victim when the victim came outside. Bias then left the scene. The victim’s injuries were non-life threatening. Law enforcement officers then located Bias at his Alexander City residence. Investigators searched vehicles located on Bias’s property and found a shotgun matching the description of the firearm used in the shooting, along with ammunition.
Bias had multiple previous felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Following this conviction, Bias faces a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison with no parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for Bias in the coming months. At that hearing, a federal district court judge will determine Bias’s sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. If the judge determines that the Armed Career Criminal Act of 1984 qualifies in Bias’s case, his potential sentence range could be increased to 15 years to life in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alexander City Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Eric M. Counts and Christopher P. Moore prosecuted.
