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Tampa, FL – A gun store employee who thought he was above the law has landed himself behind bars. Frank Jude Petrone, Sr. was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison for trafficking in firearms and selling to a convicted felon.
Petrone, 56, was working at a licensed gun store in Parrish, FL when he began selling firearms to a confidential source, who was actually a convicted felon. Between October 2, 2024 and January 28, 2025, Petrone sold the felon four firearms and 146 rounds of ammunition on four separate occasions.
The defendant’s crimes were uncovered by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On October 17, 2024, Petrone sold a .357 revolver and 10 rounds of ammunition to the confidential source. He also offered to sell a machinegun with an obliterated serial number during one of the transactions.
Petrone pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to combat firearms trafficking.
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