HOMESTEAD MAN SENT TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF MACHINEGUN BY A CONVICTED FELON (DOJ)

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA- Vinson Tavaris Brown, 33, of Homestead, Florida, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machinegun. The sentence announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Thanks to the outstanding work by our state and federal law enforcement partners, this dangerous felon has been taken off our streets and sent to federal prison. The safety of our communities is not negotiable, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenses to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent criminals."

Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Brown was a passenger after it made an illegal U-Turn leaving Zingales Sports Bar. Three of the occupants of the vehicle complied with officers, but the defendant attempted to reach under his seat and then fled from officers on foot. Officers caught the defendant and detained him, then discovered a Glock 27 equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine under the seat that the defendant attempted to reach.

Brown had previous felony convictions for child abuse (two counts), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and three separate incidents of fleeing or attempting to elude police.

Brown's three-year prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.

The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.

This case is part of Operation Take Back Americaa 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.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney's Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. 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.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Floridawebsite. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.