Markee Washington, Possession of Machine Gun, Florida 2023

Jacksonville, Florida – A repeat offender has been taken off the streets after being sentenced to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Markee Washington (34, Jacksonville) was found guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On February 11, 2023, at approximately 10:45 p.m., a trooper from the Florida Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of a car that Washington was driving.

The trooper was quickly joined at the scene by two officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Based on Washington’s statements that he had been smoking marijuana, as well as the smell of the drug emanating from him and the car, officers searched the car. Inside the gap between the car’s ceiling and roof (which was accessible by removing the overhead sunglasses compartment), an officer located a bundle of cash and a 9mm Glock pistol.

The pistol was loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine. It also was outfitted with a Glock-switch, a device installed on the pistol that converted it into a fully automatic machinegun. Washington surrendered to the officers a small bag of marijuana that he had hidden down his pants. He also had a stack of cash in his pants’ pocket. In total, $2,447 was seized.

An investigator later obtained a search warrant authorizing law enforcement to obtain a DNA sample from Washington. Laboratory testing determined that his DNA was both on the exterior of the Glock pistol and on ammunition loaded inside the pistol’s magazine.

On the day of the traffic stop, Washington had various prior felony convictions, including multiple drug-trafficking offenses. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited by law from possessing firearms and ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly S. Milliron and Michael J. Coolican.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

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