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Felon who told cops rifle was a stick sentenced for illegal gun possession

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
FOX 5 Atlanta
Cherokee County
Published October 2, 2026 10:43 PM EDT
Published October 2, 2026 10:43 PM EDT
article

Jeremiah Joshua Cornette, 35, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a Cherokee County jury convicted him of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. (Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office)

The Brief

    • A 35-year-old Ball Ground man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a jury convicted him of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
    • Prosecutors said deputies found a rifle buried under leaves after the man fired the weapon in his backyard and claimed it was only a stick.
    • Officials said the man was out on bond for a separate firearm charge when the January incident occurred.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A 35-year-old man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a jury convicted him of illegally possessing a firearm as a repeat felon, according to the district attorney's office.

What we know:

According to prosecutors, a family member called authorities in January after hearing a gunshot at a home in Nelson. Witnesses reported seeing 35-year-old Jeremiah Joshua Cornette run into the wooded backyard with a rifle.

Cherokee Sheriff's Office deputies found Cornette inside the garage, where prosecutors said he claimed the object he had been carrying was just a stick.

Deputies and K9 units searched the backyard and found an Anderson rifle buried under leaves in the area where witnesses saw Cornette, according to the DA's office. Under Georgia law, convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms.

Prosecutors said Cornette was out on bond for a separate charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at the time of the incident. He was later convicted and sentenced in that case in June.

Following the Wednesday guilty verdict, a judge sentenced Cornette to 10 years in prison, which will run concurrent with his existing prison sentence.

What they're saying:

Assistant District Attorney Leland J. McElveen Jr. pointed to Cornette’s history of illegal firearm offenses following the verdict. 

"While out on bond for serious charges involving drugs and a firearm, this defendant chose to obtain yet another gun and discharge it. His repeated disregard for the law shows a troubling pattern of behavior and poses a clear risk to the safety of our community," said McElveen.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released details regarding why Cornette discharged the rifle in the backyard.

Officials have not identified the specific state facility where Cornette is serving his sentence.

The Source: The information in this story came from a news release from the Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit.

Cherokee CountyCrime and Public SafetyNews