Markeith West, Firearms Possession, Florida 2023

A South Florida man with a violent past has been sentenced to prison time for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Markeith West, 28, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The case began on May 30, 2021, when a Fort Lauderdale Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by West and detained him on outstanding warrants. Before the vehicle was towed, an inventory search was conducted revealing a black 9mm Masada pistol loaded with ten rounds of ammunition in the vehicle's center console.

The firearm was processed for DNA evidence, which linked West to it.

West had a violent past, having been convicted of several felony offenses prior to May 2021, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, strongarm robbery, felony battery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In June 2022, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that West had an Instagram account where he posted photographs and streamed live videos of himself in possession of firearms and ammunition magazines.

Agents began monitoring the account and were able to determine the location depicted in the images. On June 28, 2022, a search warrant was executed on that location and agents found an American Tactical, Omni Hybrid, multi-caliber rifle and a Glock model G45, 9x19 (9mm) caliber pistol equipped with a loaded thirty-round magazine.

In August 2022, West pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

Markeith West, Defendant

Crime: Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

City and State: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Exact Date: May 30, 2021 (traffic stop), June 28, 2022 (search warrant executed)

Sentence or Outcome: 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/firearm-possession-results-prison-time-south-florida-man-violent-past