BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A 35-year-old Alabama man with six prior felony convictions has been sentenced to more than 13 years in federal prison for an armed robbery at an Attalla gas station and related firearm offenses.
U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Joseph Lee Rainey of Munford to 157 months in prison. Rainey previously pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Rainey entered a Marathon gas station in Attalla on Aug. 20, 2025, took a drink from a cooler and approached the register as though he intended to pay.
When he reached the cashier, prosecutors said Rainey pulled out a gun and demanded money. The cashier handed over nearly $500.
Five days later, members of the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit encountered Rainey during a traffic stop in Ohatchee. Rainey was a passenger in the vehicle when its driver abruptly stopped and jumped out as officers attempted to pull it over, according to prosecutors.
Rainey then moved into the driver’s seat and sped away, leading officers on a high-speed pursuit across Calhoun County. Authorities said he eventually abandoned the vehicle and ran before officers found him hiding in a wooded area.
Investigators searching the vehicle recovered a Taurus 9mm pistol and a cellphone. Prosecutors said the firearm matched the gun used during the Marathon robbery, and Rainey later admitted it was the same weapon.
Federal prosecutors said Rainey was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of six previous felony convictions between 2016 and 2024 in Calhoun, Talladega and St. Clair counties.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit and Attalla Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney L. Plyler and Scott Woodard prosecuted the case.