Ernest L. Chambliss, a 45-year-old man from Englewood, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury on charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon — a crime that now carries a sentence of 15 years to life in federal prison.
The conviction, announced by United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, stems from a transaction on April 16, 2015, when Chambliss sold a firearm to a confidential informant. Despite knowing his status, he handled and transferred a weapon — a direct violation of federal law that bars felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Chambliss was indicted on November 19, 2015, and stood trial where evidence revealed not only the illegal sale but also his extensive criminal history. That record now triggers the Armed Career Criminal Act, subjecting him to enhanced penalties due to prior violent felony convictions.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office — a joint operation underscoring the federal crackdown on repeat gun offenders. Prosecutors leveraged informant testimony and forensic tracking to build airtight evidence against Chambliss.
Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory T. Nolan and Christopher Murray led the prosecution, emphasizing Chambliss’s danger to the community. His sentencing is scheduled for March 17, 2017, where judges will weigh his criminal past and the threat he poses under federal sentencing guidelines.
This conviction is part of the Department of Justice’s nationwide ‘Project Safe Neighborhoods’ initiative, aimed at reducing gun violence through targeted prosecutions. U.S. Attorney Bentley, III, and ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl R. McCrary are spearheading the effort in the Middle District of Florida, aligning federal, state, and local forces to dismantle illegal firearms networks.
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