Jesus Rivas, Possessing Ammunition, Florida 2022

Tampa, FL – In a shocking display of disregard for the law, Jesus Rivas, a 29-year-old Tampa resident with a staggering ten convictions to his name, has been sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

Rivas, who pleaded guilty on November 4, 2022, was found guilty of possessing a ghost gun, a firearm assembled from different parts of firearms, loaded with 22 rounds of Blazer ammunition under the driver’s seat of a silver Infiniti in which he was driving.

The incident occurred on November 22, 2021, just after midnight, when Tampa Police Department (TPD) officers observed the Infiniti use the shoulder of the road to illegally pass another car. The officers activated their police emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop, and Rivas, realizing he was caught, fled from the scene.

TPD officers pursued Rivas, and after a thorough search of the vehicle, they located the ghost gun and the loaded ammunition. Forensic testing later confirmed that a DNA sample collected from Rivas matched the DNA found on the gun.

As a previously convicted felon, Rivas is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. His actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and put the lives of innocent people at risk.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Rivas’s sentence serves as a warning to others who would disregard the law and put the safety of their communities at risk.

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