ATLANTA – Ibnisa Durr has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a firearm after a felony sentence. Durr fled from officers in a highspeed chase on Georgia 400 before ultimately crashing his vehicle and attempting to throw a bag containing a loaded firearm over an interstate guardrail.
“Durr has a serious criminal history, which includes robbery and aggravated assault convictions,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His reckless conduct seriously endangered the lives of innocent motorists and officers. However, the coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies led to Durr’s capture, and subsequent sentence.”
“The message from this sentencing is clear. Anyone who thinks about possessing an illegal firearm and compounding that crime by fleeing from police and putting innocent civilians in danger, will get caught, and when they do, they will serve significant time in prison,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance from our local law enforcement partners, the threat from this criminal is eliminated from our streets.”
“Anytime we take a career criminal off the streets of our great city, it’s a win-win situation for the city and the citizens of Atlanta,” said Interim Chief Darin Schierbaum. “The collaborative efforts of the Atlanta Police Department and the Sandy Springs Police Department is another example of two law enforcement agencies working together to bring a criminal to justice.”
“Lawlessness and criminal behavior should not be tolerated in a civilized society. This sentence imposed will serve as a reminder to all who would commit violent crimes, that you will pay a high personal price for your misdeeds. Metro Atlanta law enforcement will always work together to make our cities, roads, and neighborhoods a safe place for all,” said Sandy Springs Police Chief Kenneth DeSimone.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On May 30, 2021, officers with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) responded to a residence in Atlanta, after receiving reports that a person had been shot. When they arrived, APD discovered the victim had been shot multiple times with non-life-threatening injuries. Through a subsequent investigation, APD identified Durr as the shooter and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
Approximately three months after the shooting, APD’s Fugitive Unit located Durr and observed him enter a vehicle. When APD attempted to take Durr into custody, he sped away, and a highspeed chase ensued on Georgia 400. During the chase, Durr attempted to elude police by rapidly changing lanes, which led him to crash into two police vehicles, as well as an uninvolved motorist’s vehicle. Durr tried to flee on foot, and in doing so, he attempted to throw a bag containing a loaded firearm over a nearby guardrail. The firearm was recovered by the arresting officers.
Ibnisa Durr (“Paper Lovee”), 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to seven years and four months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On May 25, 2022, he pleaded guilty to the offense of felon-in-possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Atlanta Police Department and the Sandy Springs Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.