Plant City Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possessing a Machinegun

Fort Myers, Florida - Alex Cruz (24, Plant City) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 30 months in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. He pleaded guilty on March 3, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, in February 2025, Cruz was one of four individuals stopped in a vehicle by deputies from the Hendry County Sheriff's Office. A 10mm Glock handgun, with a machinegun conversion device, was located in the seatback pocket immediately in front of Cruz. The firearm bore Cruz's DNA, and Cruz later made statements indicating that he knew the firearm was a machinegun.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.

This 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.