OCALA, FL – Wendell Doyle Goney, 52, of Mount Dora, Florida, will spend the next four years in federal prison after admitting to blasting a law enforcement drone out of the sky with a .22 caliber rifle. Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell handed down the sentence this week, following Goney’s guilty plea back in October.
The incident unfolded on July 11, 2021, when Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were investigating a burglary at a 10-acre business property. Utilizing a drone for aerial support, the deputies quickly found their surveillance tool the target of gunfire emanating from a neighboring property. The drone was destroyed. When deputies approached the source of the shots, they found Goney, who freely confessed to taking it down, claiming it was “harassing” him.
Goney didn’t just admit to the drone strike. He also readily acknowledged he was a convicted felon, and therefore prohibited from possessing any firearms. A subsequent check revealed a lengthy rap sheet: aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, multiple drug charges, burglary, and, ironically, a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The man simply couldn’t stay out of trouble.
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, built the case against Goney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr. secured the conviction and the four-year sentence. This wasn’t just about a destroyed drone; it was about a pattern of violent behavior and disregard for the law.
Authorities are framing the prosecution as part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The program focuses on fostering community trust, supporting local organizations, and strategically prioritizing enforcement. But for Goney, the “neighborhood” he’s now in has concrete walls and metal bars.
The case underscores the severe penalties faced by convicted felons who illegally possess firearms. While Goney may have felt “harassed” by the drone, his response – and his history – landed him back in federal prison. This isn’t a simple case of frustration; it’s a dangerous escalation by a repeat offender with a documented history of violence toward law enforcement.
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