Yellowhammer Times

A Foley man, Ladarious Roper, 22, was sentenced to 85 months in prison for possessing a firearm linked to a shooting incident. Roper had previously been convicted of a felony offense of violence.

Court documents reveal that on October 11, 2024, Roper possessed a CZ Scorpion semi-automatic weapon during a shooting event. On that day, emergency services received reports of five shots fired and a victim shot in the lower leg. The victim claimed they were shot by an individual wearing a red ski mask from a sedan. Police found an abandoned gold/beige Toyota Camry in Foley, which witnesses said was occupied by four black males who fled the scene. One male reportedly wore a red ski mask and carried an AR-style pistol. The vehicle was registered to Roper’s grandfather and known to be driven by him. An AR-style pistol and red ski mask were recovered nearby.

During police interviews, Roper admitted his DNA would be on the ski mask. A cell phone found in the Camry belonged to Roper and contained videos of him holding a CZ Scorpion Evo 3 S2 Micro firearm. These videos helped police match the weapon depicted with the one found at the scene.

Chief Judge Beaverstock sentenced Roper to 85 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 in special assessments and forfeit the firearm.

The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama. The case was investigated by the Foley Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuting.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, aimed at combating illegal immigration and violent crime through resources from various Department of Justice initiatives.