14-time convicted felon sentenced to federal prison for stolen gun

ATLANTA - A 14-time convicted felon with a decades-long violent criminal record has been sentenced to nearly nine years in federal prison after Atlanta police caught him with a stolen gun, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 

What we know:

U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Terrance Banks, 43, of Atlanta, to eight years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Federal sentences do not allow for parole. Banks pleaded guilty on June 9 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The charges stem from an Oct. 11, 2024, traffic stop where Atlanta police officers discovered a stolen pistol inside Banks' vehicle, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 

Federal prosecutors highlighted Banks' extensive criminal history spanning nearly 25 years. His 14 prior felony convictions include two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of robbery or armed robbery, six counts of illegal firearm possession and forcible obstruction of law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney's Office stated court records detail past acts of violence, including stabbing a victim in the head with a shank, hitting a state prison medical officer and shooting at another individual.

What they're saying:

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg characterized Banks as a dangerous repeat offender:

"Banks is a gun-wielding predator whose violence was unabated by nearly a quarter-century of arrests and convictions at the state level," Hertzberg said. "Finally, imposition of a significant federal sentence that must be served without the possibility of parole will keep Banks from terrorizing our community."

Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, added that Banks "has not learned from his previous mistakes." 

What we don't know:

Federal officials did not disclose the initial reason Atlanta police pulled Banks over or the specific location of the traffic stop.

Authorities have not specified which federal facility Banks will be assigned to serve his sentence.