Fort Myers, FL – In a shocking turn of events, Jonathan Anthony Reid, a 32-year-old career criminal from Gibsonton, Florida, has been sentenced to life in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon, in connection with the shooting of two men outside a Fort Myers night club in January 2020.
According to evidence presented at trial, on January 29, 2020, Reid shot two men who were standing in front of the entrance of a night club on Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers. He then fled the scene in a silver sedan with a stolen license plate, making efforts to conceal his identity during the shooting by wearing a hooded sweatshirt, gloves, and a ski mask.
However, Reid’s getaway plan quickly unraveled as he crashed and abandoned his car while fleeing from the shooting scene. Law enforcement recovered a Glock .45 caliber handgun, nine rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, a camouflage ski mask, a hooded sweatshirt, and blue latex gloves from the wrecked vehicle. DNA analysis later revealed that Reid’s DNA profile matched DNA extracted from the ski mask, the sweatshirt, a ripped latex glove, and the firearm.
Three cellphones were also found in the car, all of which were later connected to Reid. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon R. Eth and Shannon Laurie as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.
As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Jonathan Anthony Reid was found guilty by a federal jury on March 11, 2021, and was subsequently sentenced to life in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell.
This case highlights the importance of the PSN program in reducing violent crime and keeping our communities safe. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office worked tirelessly to bring Reid to justice and we are grateful for their dedication and hard work.
Defendant: Jonathan Anthony Reid, Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a Previously Convicted Felon, Florida 2021
Crime Date: January 29, 2020
Sentence: Life in Federal Prison
Case Investigating Agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fort Myers Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
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- Janice Martina Mason, Voluntary Manslaughter, Florida, 2023 · Maryland
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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