Federal Jury Convicts Georgia Felon for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

Tallahassee, Florida - Jonathan Deon Morehead, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, was found guilty by a federal jury in Tallahassee following a trial for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "The aggressive prosecutors in my office are relentlessly pursuing the dangerous criminals threatening the safety of our communities, and we continue to deliver successful prosecutions to send those criminals to federal prison where they belong. This case reaffirms what should already be abundantly clear: the Northern District of Florida has zero-tolerance for crime, and we won't stop until we deliver the safe, crime-free streets that our citizens deserve."

Trial testimony revealed that on May 28, 2026, during an operation to locate possible victims of human trafficking, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by the defendant. A female occupant was also inside. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun in the center console. The defendant tried to convince law enforcement that he was allowed to shoot firearms at gun ranges in Georgia, despite being a convicted felon. He also admitted that his fingerprints and DNA would be on the firearm but claimed the firearm belonged to the female passenger. Evidence recovered from the defendant's phone ultimately confirmed that the defendant arranged the purchase of the firearm months earlier in February 2026. Because the defendant was a convicted felon, he could not legally possess a firearm.

Morehead faces up to 15 years' imprisonment.

The case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan is prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 28, 2027, at 3:00 pm in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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 available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.