Tyrone Lee Jones, Firearms Possession, Florida 2020

Jacksonville, Florida - In a shocking turn of events, Tyrone Lee Jones, a 33-year-old Jacksonville resident, was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jones had pleaded guilty on March 4, 2020, to the charges against him.

According to court documents, in July 2019, Jones met with a confidential source at a residence where he showed the source a cooler bag containing at least five firearms with an additional firearm tucked underneath the bag. The source left the residence and returned later that day to purchase one of the firearms from Jones. An associate of Jones handed the source a .357 caliber revolver and an ounce of cocaine. That evening, the source met with Jones at a hotel in Jacksonville to discuss payment for the revolver. During this meeting, Jones displayed a Glock-style pistol on a table next to him.

In September 2019, Jones was arrested at the same hotel by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. At the time, Jones was the only occupant of a hotel room where a lockbox containing three firearms, one of which was a stolen Glock pistol; drugs; and more than $10,000 in cash was recovered. The key to the lockbox was attached to Jones’s shorts.

Prior to these events, Jones had been convicted of three felonies, including sale or delivery of cocaine, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

The court documents reveal a disturbing pattern of behavior by Jones, who had a history of violence and was already prohibited from possessing firearms. The sentencing of Jones to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison sends a clear message that those who break the law will be held accountable.

Jones’s case serves as a reminder of the dangers of guns falling into the wrong hands. With the number of firearms in circulation, it is crucial that we take steps to ensure that they are not getting into the hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/jacksonville-felon-sentenced-more-eight-years-prison-firearms-possession