A Maysville man may never be tried in connection with an August 2007 murder in Banks County, but 10 shotgun shells got him 15 years in prison on federal weapons charges Wednesday.

William Thomas Mason, 53, is charged in Banks County Superior Court with the shotgun killing of 47-year-old Randy Lynn Riley. He has been held in the Banks County jail for nearly two years awaiting trial.

In a separate criminal matter handled Wednesday in Gainesville federal court, Mason was sentenced as a so-called “armed career criminal” by U.S. District Judge William C. O’Kelley, who imposed the required prison term of 180 months.

Federal law allows for prosecutors to seek the armed career criminal designation for defendants with three prior violent felony convictions. The designation brings a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years.

Mason pleaded guilty in June to having 10 shotgun shells in violation of federal law barring convicted felons from possessing ammunition. He had prior convictions for burglary and aggravated assault in Florida in 1983 and aggravated assault in Arizona in 1993.

Mason’s attorney told the judge her client pleaded guilty to the weapons charge believing that the murder charge would be dismissed by state prosecutors.

Federal public defender Suzanne Hashimi said she was told by Mason’s attorney in the murder case, Tom Camp, that “the case was being dismissed for lack of evidence.”

Banks County District Attorney Brad Smith was unavailable for comment Wednesday, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith said she knew of no guarantees that the murder case would be dropped. The federal prosecutor said she was told district attorney’s officials were waiting to see what happened in the federal case before deciding how to proceed.

Gabay-Smith added that she had no control over what state prosecutors did with the murder case.

Rylee was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head on Aug. 26, 2007, in a tiny trailer he lived in on family property off Ga. 98 near Homer. He worked odd jobs and was often seen around town on a bicycle. He had an 11-year-old son who lived with his mother.

Sheriff’s officials have not discussed a motive in the case. Banks County Sheriff Charles Chapman was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Mason is likely to serve the majority of the 15-year prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.