Keith Dawayne Puryear, 42, of Gainesville, Florida, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Puryear’s sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Puryear was observed running a stop sign just before 3:30 a.m. on April 13, 2022, by a Gainesville Police Department officer. When the officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Puryear pulled onto a residential street and then quickly exited the driver’s seat and fled on foot through residential yards in the neighborhood. The officer observed that Puryear was carrying a pistol in his hand as he fled.
A K9 officer responded to the scene and conducted a track, ultimately locating Puryear hiding inside a doghouse in another residential backyard, where he was apprehended. During the chase, officers located a Crown Royal bag near one of Puryear’s shoes, which was found to contain crack cocaine. The firearm was not located that night, but an officer went back to the scene after sunrise and located a loaded 10-millimeter pistol that had been discarded by Puryear during the chase. This pistol had been reported stolen out of Lake County, Florida.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted a follow-up investigation. Puryear had prior felony convictions including Sale of Cocaine (x4), Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell (x4), Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (x3), Sale of Cannabis, Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Sell (x4), Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Eluding Law Enforcement (x3), Possession of Cocaine (x5), Possession of Alprazolam, Grand Theft Auto, and Felony Driving While License is Suspended (x4).
Puryear will serve his 18-year sentence followed by a term of supervised release. The collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies continue to produce impactful results, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue working tirelessly to make North Florida safer.
Defendant: Keith Dawayne Puryear, Age: 42, City: Gainesville, State: Florida
Criminal Charges: Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Sentence: 18 years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release
Date: December 6, 2022
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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