Yellowhammer Times

Brandon Demetrius Pettaway has been sentenced to 110 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer on July 25, 2025.

According to court documents, the Mobile Police Department Homicide Unit issued an all-points bulletin for Pettaway on November 22, 2023. He was wanted for questioning in connection with a recent homicide and had three active arrest warrants at the time. A member of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force reported seeing Pettaway inside a Hardee's restaurant on Highway 90 in Theodore.

Police units responded to apprehend him. When Pettaway left the restaurant and entered his vehicle, officers surrounded him with marked police vehicles. Instead of surrendering, he drove his car into one of the police vehicles head-on and then attempted to reverse out but was blocked by another officer’s vehicle. After being boxed in, Pettaway fled on foot.

An officer pursued him, issuing repeated commands for Pettaway to stop and get on the ground. The officer deployed his Taser twice; although one probe made contact, it did not stop Pettaway from running through a pawn shop parking lot and attempting to climb over a barbed wire fence. Officers eventually caught up with him and used physical force to remove him from the fence before detaining him.

A search of Pettaway’s vehicle uncovered a Glock Model 20 handgun equipped with a magazine extender, along with three small bags of marijuana, one bag each of crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, and two digital scales.

Pettaway had prior felony convictions including felon in possession of a firearm (2018), burglary third degree (2011), and robbery first degree (2011), all in Alabama courts.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Mobile Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney George F. May prosecuted it.

"