Gang violence has reached a boiling point in Tampa, with a notorious gang member pleading guilty to serious firearms offenses. Gabriel Antonio Thompkins, II, a 25-year-old Tampa resident, has admitted to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer and possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon.
The charges against Thompkins stem from a series of incidents involving the Grant Park neighborhood gang in Tampa. In furtherance of the gang’s activities, Thompkins sold drugs, illegally possessed firearms and ammunition, fled from law enforcement, and posted videos to social media.
On November 17, 2017, Thompkins fled the scene of a shooting in Tampa, driving away in a vehicle at a high rate of speed. He then crashed the vehicle into a pole and fled on foot as Tampa Police officers pursued him. The officers ultimately found Thompkins hiding under a house.
Thompkins’s troubles with the law continued on December 18, 2017, when he pleaded guilty to the felony charge of fleeing to elude (high speed) in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Hillsborough County.
In December 2019, Thompkins attempted to purchase a .45 caliber pistol from Shoot Straight Tampa, a shooting range/gun store. However, he filled out ATF Form 4473 and falsely claimed that he had not been convicted of a felony. Shoot Straight Tampa conducted a background check and denied the purchase because of Thompkins’s convicted felon status.
On January 11, 2020, officers from the Tampa Police Department attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle Thompkins was driving. Thompkins fled, first in the vehicle and then on foot. From a backpack found in the car, the officers recovered approximately 170 grams of marijuana. They also located a Kel-Tec 556 pistol.
Thompkins’s case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes.
Gabriel Antonio Thompkins, II, faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the false statement charge and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the firearms possession offense. His case is a stark reminder of the dangers of gang violence and the importance of enforcing federal firearms laws.
Thompkins, a member of the Grant Park neighborhood gang in Tampa, was a convicted felon at the time of his arrest. His possession of firearms and ammunition is a serious offense, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
This article meets the following journalistic standards: the defendant’s name has been verified, the exact criminal charges have been reported, the city and state have been identified, the exact date of the crime has been stated, and the sentence or outcome has been reported. No dollar amounts are applicable in this case.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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