Coosa County Escapee Facing Federal Charges

Montgomery, Alabama – Yesterday, Shane Anthony Vernon, 28, from Kellyton, Alabama was arraigned in federal court on eight-felony charges, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. The eight charges include one count of kidnapping, two counts of carjacking, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. All of these crimes are alleged to have been committed in Elmore County in November 2017.

If convicted of all charges, Vernon faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and maximum sentence of life. There is no parole in the federal system.

An indictment is merely a method of alleging that a crime has been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Vernon’s trial has been set for August 12, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Franklin would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance with this case: the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Wendell is prosecuting this case.