Lake County Felon Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

Ocala, Florida - Kevin Eugene Leeks, Jr. (34, Leesburg) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court records, Leeks has been a convicted felon since 2013. His prior felony convictions include robbery with a deadly weapon. On July 13, 2019, a deputy from the Lake County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Leeks. During the stop, Leeks instructed a passenger to throw Leeks's loaded pistol out of the car window. The deputy recovered the firearm and arrested Leeks. As a convicted felon, Leeks is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.