ATTALLA– A federal judge sentenced a Munford man to 157 months — more than 13 years — in prison for the 2025 armed robbery of an Attalla gas station.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama announced the sentence Wednesday for Joseph Lee Rainey, 35.

U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke imposed the sentence after Rainey 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 the Marathon gas station in Attalla on Aug. 20, 2025, selected a drink from a cooler, and approached the register as though he intended to pay.

Instead, he drew a gun and demanded the money in the register. The cashier complied and handed over nearly $500.

Five days later, members of the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit located Rainey during a traffic stop in Ohatchee.

However, the driver stopped abruptly and jumped from the vehicle when officers attempted the stop. Rainey then moved into the driver’s seat and sped away.

Officers pursued him in a high-speed chase across Calhoun County. After the pursuit ended, Rainey abandoned the vehicle and ran.

A short time later, officers found him hiding in a wooded area.

During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a Taurus 9mm pistol that matched the firearm used in the robbery, along with a cellphone. Rainey later admitted that he used the same firearm during the Attalla robbery, according to the Justice Department.

Additionally, federal law prohibited Rainey from possessing a firearm because of six earlier felony convictions entered from 2016 through 2024 in Calhoun, Talladega, and St. Clair counties.

U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. said the sentence demonstrates that violent offenders — particularly convicted felons who knowingly disregard the law — will face accountability.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet said federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies remain committed to protecting communities and bringing violent offenders to justice.

ATF investigated the case with the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit and the Attalla Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney L. Plyler and Scott Woodard prosecuted the case, which the Justice Department identified as part of Operation Take Back America.

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