A Mobile man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm during an attempted home invasion that resulted in a fatal shooting. Okoye Jabrayll Day, 23, was arrested by Mobile Police Department officers after they responded to a call about a home invasion at an apartment complex on April 16, 2024.
Court records show that the victim reported several individuals were trying to break into his apartment and that he fired shots at the armed intruders before locking himself in his bathroom. Another resident told authorities she heard gunshots and saw Day, who uses a wheelchair, fleeing with a gun.
Police found one of the suspected burglars dead outside the apartment from a gunshot wound. The doorjamb was damaged and off its hinges, and there were bullet holes in the walls and ceiling. Officers later located Day in another building; he had discarded a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol in nearby bushes. Surveillance video captured Day, along with three others, attempting to force entry into the apartment.
Day admitted to police that he carried the firearm for protection due to previous injuries that left him paralyzed. He also acknowledged discarding the weapon because of his prior felony convictions and ongoing supervision. At the time of this incident, Day had prior convictions for first-degree receiving stolen property and discharging a gun into an occupied building, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess a firearm.
United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, which includes mental health evaluation and treatment. No fine was issued, but Day must pay $100 in special assessments and has forfeited his pistol and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama announced the sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives collaborated with the Mobile Police Department on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing violent crime through coordination between multiple agencies such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
