Zackery Brunson Pleads Guilty

Zackery Chase Brunson, 33, of Shalimar, Florida, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

According to the plea, Brunson is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance. In January 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brunson’s residence in Shalimar, Florida, and found two rifles, a shotgun, and three pistols, and multiple types of ammunition.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the substantial efforts of our state and federal law enforcement partners to make our community safer by getting this dangerous repeat offender off the streets. This is yet another important case by my office fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by aggressively pursuing criminal offenders to keep our communities safe.”

Brunson faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Okaloosa County Sherriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2025, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

This guilty plea is a significant step towards keeping the community safe from repeat offenders like Brunson. The joint efforts of state and federal law enforcement agencies have resulted in the removal of a dangerous individual from the streets, and the community can rest assured that justice is being served.