Defendant Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Assault of Federal Agents

     Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Mario Devon Norris, 40, of Mobile, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade to 41 months in prison for the aggravated assault of five federal law enforcement agents. Following his release from prison, Norris will be subject to supervision by the United States Probation Office for three years.

     Norris pled guilty in December to a one-count indictment charging him with assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal law enforcement agents. The charge stemmed from an incident in October in Prichard, when five law enforcement agents attempted to speak with Norris about an investigation. Three of the agents were FBI Special Agents, one was an agent with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and one was an officer with the Mobile Police Department. The court record shows that Norris was located in a car at a fast-food restaurant, where the agents attempted to block his car with their cars, after activating their emergency blue lights and announcing themselves as police officers. Norris struck both of the agents’ cars in an attempt to flee, and revved the vehicle into reverse, jumped a curb, and nearly drove into oncoming traffic on Highway 45 in another attempt to flee. The agents surrounded the car Norris was driving, with their weapons drawn, wearing clearly marked police or FBI attire, vehicle blue lights flashing, and yelling “police.” Norris again revved the engine of the BMW and attempted to place the vehicle in drive, despite agents being in front of and along the driver side of the vehicle. Ultimately, Norris submitted without further escalation of the situation.

     Acting U.S. Attorney Butler said, “Every day and every night, law enforcement agents risk their own safety in the service of their communities. Our office will aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who deliberately endangers these men and women, and undermines the safety of everyone in the Southern District of Alabama.” Robert Lasky, Special Agent in Charge of the Mobile Division of the FBI, said, “The safety and well-being of our agents and task force officers must be a priority for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We can only hope this sentencing will send a clear and concise message that this behavior will not be taken lightly.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Costello.