JACKSONVILLE, FL – Jonathan Donte Rogers, Jr., 22, is headed to federal prison for 21 months after admitting to possessing a stolen and illegally modified short-barreled rifle. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard handed down the sentence this week, closing a case that began with a brazen burglary targeting a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer (JSO).
The rifle wasn’t just any weapon; it was highly customized and, crucially, belonged to a JSO officer. On September 5, 2022, someone broke into the officer’s vehicle and made off with the firearm – a rifle uniquely modified to meet the definition of a federally regulated short-barreled rifle and bearing the officer’s name engraved directly onto the lower receiver. The theft quickly escalated into a federal investigation when a disturbing video surfaced.
Detectives with JSO discovered an Instagram video on September 6, 2022, showing Rogers, armed with the stolen rifle, filming himself in a bathroom mirror. The video provided crucial evidence linking Rogers to the stolen weapon and quickly focused the investigation on his whereabouts. It wasn’t long before investigators had probable cause to search the residence where Rogers was living.
The search warrant executed at Rogers’s home yielded the stolen rifle, found stuffed inside a gym bag on his bed. The recovery of the weapon, coupled with the Instagram video, solidified the case against him. Rogers ultimately pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023, acknowledging his possession of the illegal firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and JSO jointly investigated the case, working together to track down the stolen weapon and bring Rogers to justice. Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro prosecuted the case, securing the 21-month federal prison sentence.
Federal officials say this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The Department of Justice launched a renewed violent crime reduction strategy in May 2021, emphasizing community trust, preventative measures, and focused enforcement priorities. The goal: safer neighborhoods, one case at a time.
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