Shawn Lanier Lowman Jr., Gun Possession, Florida 2022

TAMPA, FL – Shawn Lanier Lowman, Jr., 23, of Tampa, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The bust, a culmination of a late-night chase and aerial surveillance, adds another chapter to Lowman’s already extensive rap sheet. If convicted, Lowman faces a potential 15-year federal prison sentence.

The case unfolded November 1, 2022, when Tampa Police Department (TPD) officers attempted a traffic stop on a black BMW 328i with Lowman as a passenger. The vehicle immediately fled, initiating a pursuit through the Old Seminole Heights neighborhood. Officers eventually located the sedan in Sulphur Springs, where Lowman and two other occupants bailed out and scattered.

Lowman’s attempt to evade capture quickly became a high-tech manhunt. TPD’s Air Service unit deployed a FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed) camera, tracking Lowman’s thermal signature as he bolted through residential yards and ultimately hid inside a shed. Officers converged on the shed, arresting Lowman and discovering 10.9 grams of bagged cocaine within. A search of his person also revealed three oxycodone pills.

But the real heat came when officers retraced Lowman’s escape route, uncovering a backpack stashed along the way. Inside, they found a Glock 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson Model 659 9mm pistol – both loaded. The Smith & Wesson held 14 rounds, one in the chamber. The backpack also contained an extended 11-round magazine, a digital scale, and a black ski mask. Forensic analysis confirmed Lowman’s fingerprints on both firearms, and he admitted ownership during questioning.

This wasn’t Lowman’s first dance with the law. He previously served approximately six years in state prison for armed carjacking with a deadly weapon and armed burglary, convictions dating back to July 2017. As a convicted felon, possessing firearms is a direct violation of federal law. The ATF, along with the FBI and TPD, jointly investigated the case.

Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee is prosecuting the case, which falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice launched a strengthened PSN initiative in May 2021, emphasizing community trust, strategic enforcement, and measurable results. A sentencing date for Lowman has not yet been set.

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