Fort Myers, Florida – The grim reality of gun violence took a hard toll in Clewiston as U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell handed down a seven-year federal prison sentence to Jose Ignacio Carrizalez III (27, Clewiston) for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Carrizalez pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, after being caught in the act of selling a firearm to an informant and attempting to peddle another. The fateful encounter led to a search warrant at his residence on April 12, 2024, where law enforcement uncovered multiple firearms, ammunition, and a conversion device capable of transforming a semi-automatic pistol into a machine gun.
As a convicted felon, Carrizalez is barred from owning or carrying firearms by federal law. His transgression was not just another statistic; it was a direct threat to public safety in Clewiston and beyond.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey prosecuted the case with relentless dedication.
This conviction is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. Launched on May 26, 2021, PSN strengthens community trust, supports organizations preventing violence, sets strategic enforcement priorities, and measures results to ensure safer neighborhoods for all.
For Carrizalez, the sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences faced by those who break the law with firearms in their hands. His sentence will be served behind bars, while his neighborhood will be left to heal from the scars of gun violence.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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