Terrence Johnson Jr., Illegal Firearms Possession, Florida 2023

BRADENTON, FL – Terrence Johnson, Jr., 28, of Bradenton, is headed to federal prison for seven years after a search of his home turned up a cache of ten firearms, despite a prior felony conviction that barred him from possessing them. U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell handed down the sentence Tuesday after Johnson pleaded guilty on June 26th.

The case began with a shooting near 31st Avenue East in Bradenton. Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies responding to the scene found spent cartridge casings scattered in the roadway and bullet holes riddling a window of Johnson’s residence. Inside, they didn’t just find evidence of a shooting; they uncovered a potential armory. Spent casings were found inside the home, alongside roughly $27,000 in cash and a digital video recording (DVR) system.

But the real haul was in the driveway. Deputies searching a sedan parked there discovered ten firearms stashed in the trunk, including a particularly dangerous AK-style 7.62 mm caliber “MAK90 Sporter” Norinco rifle. The DVR footage provided damning evidence: on the morning of February 19th, it showed Johnson carrying that same Norinco rifle and placing it directly into the trunk of his car.

When confronted by ATF agents, Johnson didn’t deny possessing the rifle. He confessed, and positively identified the weapon in a still image pulled from the DVR footage. The combination of the physical evidence, the video, and Johnson’s own admission sealed his fate. This wasn’t a simple case of illegal gun ownership; it was a convicted felon actively stockpiling weapons, raising serious questions about potential intent.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha J. Newman prosecuted the case. Federal officials say this prosecution is part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by coordinating law enforcement efforts at all levels.

While the feds tout “community-based organizations” and “focused enforcement priorities,” the bottom line remains: a dangerous felon is off the streets for seven years, and ten firearms are no longer a threat to the citizens of Bradenton. This case serves as a stark reminder that possessing firearms with a felony conviction carries severe consequences, and the ATF is actively working to keep those weapons out of the hands of those prohibited from owning them.

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