Macon gang member convicted of gun possession, sentenced to prison
A “Macon Mafia” gang member was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison for illegally possessing a gun during a fatal 2024 shooting and for violating the terms of his probation from a previous case, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Nekoase Vinson pleaded guilty Feb. 20 to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Authorities say he was involved in a gang-related shootout at a Marathon gas station on Napier Avenue, which led to the death of RaQuavian Smith, an associate of his, in July 2024, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. He also admitted to violating the terms of his supervised release from a case in the Southern District of West Virginia, where he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine base.
It led Judge Marc Treadwell to sentence Vinson to nearly six years in prison on the gun possession charge and three years for violating the terms of his probation, federal prosecutors said.
“This case is a tragic example of the mayhem that results when criminal gang members with illegally possessed firearms try to settle scores in public,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis.
Joshua Curry was charged alongside Vinson, and on April 2 pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He’ll be sentenced July 9, court records show.
Vinson sported “Macon Mafia” medallion at time of arrest, shooting
A gang-related fight broke out on July 20, 2024, at the Marathon gas station, where Vinson and Curry were present. Video surveillance showed Curry shooting with a fully automatic pistol while Vinson brandished an AR-style rifle, federal prosecutors said. The video also captured Vinson sporting a medallion that said “M4L,” meaning Mafia 4 Life, and Curry and Vinson leaving the scene.
Smith was caught in the crossfire as he left the gas station, and later died of his injuries.
Law enforcement then executed a search warrant on Aug. 23, 2024, at a location on Roy Street that was controlled by Curry and Vinson. There they found a Glock .40-caliber pistol with an extended magazine, 21 rounds of ammunition and a switch. They also found a Sig Sauer .45-caliber pistol with a magazine and five rounds of ammunition, federal prosecutors said. They also saw T-shirts and hats that contained “Macon Mafia” references.
When Vinson was arrested, he was wearing the M4L chain and medallion that were seen on video surveillance the night of the shooting, according to federal prosecutors. In Curry’s car, they found an AR-style caliber rifle.
“A man lost his life as a result of a gang-related shooting where convicted felons illegally possessed rapid-fire guns capable of killing many people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will use every federal resource available to lawfully hold repeat felons accountable for illegally arming themselves and endangering our community.”
