Deangelo Rome Gets 17.5 Years for Armed Rampage

Deangelo A. Rome, 26, of Pensacola, is headed to federal prison for 17.5 years after pleading guilty to multiple counts of unlawful firearm possession as a convicted felon. The sentence, handed down today in the Northern District of Florida, marks the end of a violent crime spree that terrorized parts of Escambia County across 2015.

The first red flag came in February 2015, when a law enforcement officer stumbled upon Rome unconscious behind the wheel of a running vehicle. A loaded handgun was found directly beneath his seat—clearly within reach, clearly illegal for a felon to possess. That single discovery triggered federal scrutiny that would eventually bury Rome under years of prison time.

Months later, in December 2015, Rome resurfaced in a far more explosive scene. Responding to a ‘shots fired’ call, deputies arrived at a residence pockmarked with bullet holes. A victim lay wounded. Shell casings littered the ground. A loaded magazine was recovered—and a fingerprint on it matched Rome’s. Court testimony during sentencing confirmed Rome was one of the shooters who opened fire that night.

Just days after the shooting, police were back on Rome’s trail. A report of armed men fleeing a location led officers to a house with a vehicle in the driveway. Inside the car: an assault rifle in plain view. Rome was found moments later, cowering under a bed. Forensic evidence didn’t lie—his palm print and DNA were on the rifle, and his fingerprint was lifted from a separate box of ammunition on the premises.

The case was the product of relentless work by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the ATF Gun Crime Response Team. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg led the prosecution, ensuring Rome faced the full weight of federal law for his repeated defiance of gun restrictions.

Christopher P. Canova, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, underscored the danger Rome posed to the public. ‘A convicted felon wielding firearms isn’t just breaking the law—it’s playing Russian roulette with community safety,’ Canova said. Rome will serve 17.5 years under federal custody, with no room for early parole.