U.S. Attorney for Northern Florida says plea deal was part of crack down on crime designed by Donald Trump.
A 19-year-old Pensacola man will spend two and a half years in federal prison for being convicted of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida John P. Heekin announced that Christ’Avian X’Zayvia Rayshon Sheard pleaded guilty to the charge. Federal prosecutors say Sheard was in a parked vehicle at Sanders Beach on April 2, 2024, when police found him in possession of marijuana and a Taurus 9mm handgun. When he was arrested, authorities realized Sheard had a previous felony conviction for aggravated assault by threat with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm.
Heekin said in a press release that the plea deal on the latest charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is part of President Donald Trump’s policy to crack down on career criminals.
“Operation Take Back America is a promise by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi that we will do everything in our power to stop those who are victimizing our communities, and keeping a violent felon like this one off the streets is exactly what they meant,” Heekin said. “I am proud of the work of our brave state and federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenders to keep our communities safe.”
Pensacola Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives collaborated on a joint investigation.
“Pensacola Police is committed to reducing gun crimes and will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to hold everyone accountable (who) chooses to illegally possess a firearm in our city,” said Chief Eric Randall of the Pensacola Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted Sheard’s case.
Operation Take Back America was launched by the U.S. 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,” a press release from Heekin’s office said.
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