Gainesville, Florida – Robert Anthony Yancy, Jr., 25, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and we will not yield control of our streets to serial felons, like this defendant, who have amply demonstrated their outright refusal to follow the law. My office will aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, crime-free streets our citizens deserve.” Court documents reflect that on the evening of January 2, 2026, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle. During the stop, law enforcement detected the odor of marijuana and saw evidence of marijuana inside, which led to a search of the vehicle. In addition to locating marijuana and a scale with residue, law enforcement found a handgun in the vehicle. The defendant cannot possess a handgun because he is a six-time convicted felon. Upon his release, Yancy will be subject to three years’ supervised release. The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner prosecuted the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .
Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/pr/repeat-felon-sentenced-two-years-prison-firearm-offense