Vinson Tavaris Brown, Unlawful Firearm and Machine Gun Possession, Florida 2025

Tallahassee, FL - A convicted felon from Homestead, Florida, has been charged with unlawful firearm and machine gun possession, according to a federal indictment. Vinson Tavaris Brown, 33, was arraigned in federal court on September 12, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick.

The indictment, announced by United States Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida, charges Brown with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machine gun. If convicted, Brown faces up to 15 years' imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and up to 10 years' imprisonment for illegal possession of a machine gun.

The Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain is prosecuting the case. The trial is set for October 27, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night, as burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/pr/convicted-felon-homestead-charged-unlawful-firearm-machine-gun-possession