A 28-year-old Clay County man with a history of domestic violence has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for the unlawful possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm, a sawed-off shotgun.
Paul Steven Hulbert, a Middleburg resident, made his initial appearance in federal court on November 18, 2022, and was ordered detained. He entered a guilty plea on June 20, 2023.
According to court documents and public records, in May 2021, a court in Clay County issued a "Temporary Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence with Minor Children" against Hulbert. The court extended the injunction until September 2022, specifically prohibiting Hulbert from possessing firearms and directing him to surrender any firearms in his possession to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
In October 2021, Hulbert was convicted in Clay County of the misdemeanor crime of domestic battery. Despite the conviction and the issuance of the domestic violence injunction, both of which prohibited him from possessing firearms, Hulbert obtained seven firearms, including rifles, pistols, and a shotgun.
On May 16, 2022, members of the CCSO went to Hulbert’s home to serve an arrest warrant for violating the terms of the injunction. Upon arriving at the home, the CCSO arrested him and searched the house. They located four rifles, a revolver, a pistol, and a 12-gauge shotgun. A follow-up investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined that the 12-gauge shotgun was illegally modified, as both barrels had been sawed off.
The ATF also determined that the 12-gauge shotgun was not registered to Hulbert in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
This 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.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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