Skip to main content
Press Release

Mobile County Man Receives 27 Month Sentence for Possession of a Firearm While Using a Controlled Substance

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Alabama

United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Edward Blake Freer, a 25 year old resident of Grand Bay, Alabama was sentenced to 27 months for being a user of marijuana and methamphetamine in possession of a firearm. 

On July 18, 2018, according to a factual statement Freer signed in connection with his guilty plea to being a user in possession of a firearm, on July 25, 2017, Mobile County, Alabama deputies were patrolling the area of Old Pascagoula Road when they saw a Honda Accord traveling with an expired tag.  They initiated a traffic stop.  As the Honda slowed down, deputies could see the driver and passenger moving around in the vehicle.  When deputies approached the vehicle they observed Freer and a front seat male passenger.  When a deputy asked Freer for his driver’s license he could see a bullet in Freer’s lap.  Next, the deputy asked Freer if he had a firearm in the vehicle and Freer responded, “Yes.”  Freer then reached for his waistband and the deputy grabbed his hands and asked him to exit the vehicle.  The passenger was also asked to exit the vehicle.  Both men did and were checked for weapons for officer safety.  Neither had weapons on his person.  Freer then stated that the firearm was underneath the driver’s seat.  Deputies then seized from underneath the seat a loaded Euro arms, 9mm pistol.  Deputies then learned that the vehicle Freer was driving was stolen.  After Freer waived his Miranda Rights, he stated that he bought the vehicle from someone for “half an ounce of weed” and did not know the vehicle was stolen.  Freer also stated that he obtained the firearm from a “meth head” for protection a few hours before he was stopped by the deputies.  Both men were arrested and pursuant to an inventory search of the Honda, deputies seized several syringes, two burnt marijuana cigarettes and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia.   On May 3, 2018 Freer was interviewed at his mother’s residence by FBI agents.  Freer told the agents that the Euro arms pistol was his and that he bought it for 3.5 grams of methamphetamine.  Freer said that he had been using Methamphetamine since the age of 15 years and could also to cook methamphetamine.  He also stated that he was “high” the date of the traffic stop in July 2017.  Freer stated that at that time he was using Methamphetamine every weekend but said that all he uses now is marijuana.     

Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with deputies of the Mobile, County, Alabama Sheriff’s office investigated the case and brought it to the U.S. Attorney=s Office for prosecution.  The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.

Updated October 15, 2018